Thousands of people were lured to a South African village in hopes of finding expensive diamonds. But as the story unfolded, the stones which ignited mass-hysteria turned out to be ordinary quartz, far cheaper than what people were hoping to unearth.

People flocked to KwaHlathi village in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, hoping to get a chance to amass a fortune through diamonds.&nbsp; Since 12 June, villagers had been digging into the ground after a precious-looking stone was discovered by a herder. Soon after the discovery, word spread like wildfire in the country.

To their disappointment, the stones turned out to be of little value. Officials&nbsp;on Sunday said that the stones were in fact very ordinary, much to the dismay of people who had been shovelling for days.

Ravi Pillay, the provincial executive council member for economic development and tourism on Sunday said that at least 3,000 people were at the site, from where samples were picked for further inspection.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/ring-with-over-12000-diamonds-from-india-sets-world-record-354313" hreflang="en">Ring with over 12,000 diamonds from India sets world record</a>

According to the tests, it was “conclusively revealed” that stones found in the area are “not diamonds as some had hoped”, The Guardian cited him as saying.

Even then, the value of these quartz crystals is yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, Pillay added that it could be “very low compared to that of diamonds”. The immediate response of people highlights a problem faced by many people in South Africa - unemployment and poverty.

After the true nature of stones was revealed, less than 500 people still remain on the site still hoping to find something of value. Owing to minings, 5 hectares (12 acres) of land has&nbsp;undergone damage and is now covered in holes which pose a threat to nearby cattle. The official claims that those that decided to continue pursuing mining may be asked to leave by law enforcement agencies if necessary to prevent any spread of COVID-19.

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Thousands of people were lured to a South African village in hopes of finding expensive diamonds. But as the story unfolded, the stones which ignited mass-hysteria turned out to be ordinary quartz, far cheaper than what people were hoping to unearth.

Thousands of people were lured to a South African village in hopes of finding expensive diamonds. But as the story unfolded, the stones which ignited mass-hysteria turned out to be ordinary quartz, far cheaper than what people were hoping to unearth. People flocked to KwaHlathi village in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, hoping to get a chance to amass a fortune through diamonds. Since 12 June, villagers had been digging into the ground after a precious-looking stone was discovered by a herder. Soon after the discovery, word spread like wildfire in the country. To their disappointment, the stones turned out to be of little value. Officials on Sunday said that the stones were in fact very ordinary, much to the dismay of people who had been shovelling for days. Ravi Pillay, the provincial executive council member for economic development and tourism on Sunday said that at least 3,000 people were at the site, from where samples were picked for further inspection. Also read: Ring with over 12,000 diamonds from India sets world record According to the tests, it was “conclusively revealed” that stones found in the area are “not diamonds as some had hoped”, The Guardian cited him as saying. Even then, the value of these quartz crystals is yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, Pillay added that it could be “very low compared to that of diamonds”. The immediate response of people highlights a problem faced by many people in South Africa - unemployment and poverty. After the true nature of stones was revealed, less than 500 people still remain on the site still hoping to find something of value. Owing to minings, 5 hectares (12 acres) of land has undergone damage and is now covered in holes which pose a threat to nearby cattle. The official claims that those that decided to continue pursuing mining may be asked to leave by law enforcement agencies if necessary to prevent any spread of COVID-19. Also read: Toilet embedded with 40,000 diamonds reached Dubai

'Diamonds' that caused mass-hysteria in South Africa turn out to be quartz

French forces killed an Al Qaeda leader in Sahel region of Africa, France's armed forces minister said on Friday. He vowed to keep substantial military presence in the region. These words have come just a day after French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a drawdown of French forces from Sahel.

Speaking in an impromptu address, Florence Parly said that Baye ag Bakabo, who she said was responsible for the death of two French reporters in Mali in 2013, was killed on June 5. Three other militants were also killed.

"An operation was then launched against an armed terrorist group which was about to unleash mortar fire on a base held by a Chadian battalion of MINUSMA," Parly said, referring to the United Nations mission in Mali. "Four people were neutralised in the mission."

Radio journalists Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont were abducted and shot dead after interviewing a member of the MNLA Tuareg separatist group in northern Mali in November 2013, six month after French troops drove back al-Qaeda-linked groups that had seized cities and towns in northern Mali.

Families of the journalists have sought numerous legal avenues to bring the killers to justice.

Paris prosecutors as early as 2013 had named Bakabo, a Touareg rebel and drug trafficker linked to al Qaeda’s north African wing, as the chief suspect after his pick-up truck was found abandoned in the desert near the bodies of the journalists.

Florence Parly was speaking after Macron said his country's operation battling Islamist militants in Sahel would come to an end with troops now operating as part of broader international efforts in the region.

France, the former colonial power, has hailed some success against Sahel militants in recent months. However, the situation is extremely fragile and Paris has grown frustrated with no apparent end in sight to its operations, political turmoil, especially in Mali, and some regional governments directly negotiating with militants Paris has been fighting.

(With inputs from agencies)

French forces killed an Al Qaeda leader in Sahel region of Africa, France's armed forces minister said on Friday. He vowed to keep substantial military presence in the region.

French forces killed an Al Qaeda leader in Sahel region of Africa, France's armed forces minister said on Friday. He vowed to keep substantial military presence in the region. These words have come just a day after French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a drawdown of French forces from Sahel. Speaking in an impromptu address, Florence Parly said that Baye ag Bakabo, who she said was responsible for the death of two French reporters in Mali in 2013, was killed on June 5. Three other militants were also killed. "An operation was then launched against an armed terrorist group which was about to unleash mortar fire on a base held by a Chadian battalion of MINUSMA," Parly said, referring to the United Nations mission in Mali. "Four people were neutralised in the mission." Radio journalists Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont were abducted and shot dead after interviewing a member of the MNLA Tuareg separatist group in northern Mali in November 2013, six month after French troops drove back al-Qaeda-linked groups that had seized cities and towns in northern Mali. Families of the journalists have sought numerous legal avenues to bring the killers to justice. Paris prosecutors as early as 2013 had named Bakabo, a Touareg rebel and drug trafficker linked to al Qaeda’s north African wing, as the chief suspect after his pick-up truck was found abandoned in the desert near the bodies of the journalists. Florence Parly was speaking after Macron said his country's operation battling Islamist militants in Sahel would come to an end with troops now operating as part of broader international efforts in the region. France, the former colonial power, has hailed some success against Sahel militants in recent months. However, the situation is extremely fragile and Paris has grown frustrated with no apparent end in sight to its operations, political turmoil, especially in Mali, and some regional governments directly negotiating with militants Paris has been fighting. (With inputs from agencies)

France kills Al Qaeda leader in Sahel region of Africa

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced major drawdown of country's military presence in Sahel region of Africa. He also announced end of existing Barkhane operation.

"The time has come: Our commitment in the Sahel will not continue in the same way," Macron told a press conference.

"We will undertake a profound transformation of our military presence in the Sahel," he added. "The framework will be made clear in the weeks to come."

Macron said that he saw France's future presence as being part of the so-called Takuba international task force in the Sahel in which "hundreds" of French soldiers would form the "backbone."

This would mean the closure of French bases and would also lead to use of special forces who would be focused on anti-terror operations and military training, he added.

France currently has 5100 troops in the arid and volatile Sahel region which stretches across Africa south of the Sahara desert and spans half a dozen countries.

The Barkhane operation dates back to an initial deployment undertaken from January 2013 as Paris intervened to stop the advance of jihadists in Mali.

Macron said the French drawdown had been decided because the "longstanding presence of France... cannot be a substitute for political stability".

For years Macron has tried to get Western allies to help shoulder the burden of an anti-terror fight in the Sahel where France, the former colonial power in the region, is the lead foreign presence.&nbsp;

The killing in April of the veteran leader of Chad, a close Paris ally, and a coup in Mali last month have also underlined the threat posed by continued political instability in the region.

(With inputs from agencies)

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced major drawdown of country's military presence in Sahel region of Africa. He also announced end of existing Barkhane operation.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced major drawdown of country's military presence in Sahel region of Africa. He also announced end of existing Barkhane operation. "The time has come: Our commitment in the Sahel will not continue in the same way," Macron told a press conference. "We will undertake a profound transformation of our military presence in the Sahel," he added. "The framework will be made clear in the weeks to come." Macron said that he saw France's future presence as being part of the so-called Takuba international task force in the Sahel in which "hundreds" of French soldiers would form the "backbone." This would mean the closure of French bases and would also lead to use of special forces who would be focused on anti-terror operations and military training, he added. France currently has 5100 troops in the arid and volatile Sahel region which stretches across Africa south of the Sahara desert and spans half a dozen countries. The Barkhane operation dates back to an initial deployment undertaken from January 2013 as Paris intervened to stop the advance of jihadists in Mali. Macron said the French drawdown had been decided because the "longstanding presence of France... cannot be a substitute for political stability". For years Macron has tried to get Western allies to help shoulder the burden of an anti-terror fight in the Sahel where France, the former colonial power in the region, is the lead foreign presence. The killing in April of the veteran leader of Chad, a close Paris ally, and a coup in Mali last month have also underlined the threat posed by continued political instability in the region. (With inputs from agencies)

Macron announces major troop drawdown from Sahel region in Africa

Senegal could begin producing COVID-19 vaccines next year under an agreement with Belgian biotech group Univercells aimed at boosting Africa's drug-manufacturing ambitions, a source involved in funding the project said. 
 
As wealthy countries begin to reopen after securing vaccine supplies early, African nations are still struggling to acquire shots. On a continent of 1.3 billion, only about 7 million have been fully vaccinated. 
 
The collaboration highlights the opportunities created by a global push to channel money and technology towards production on a continent that makes only 1% of the vaccines it requires. 
 
Univercells announced the signing of a letter of intent for collaboration with the Institut Pasteur in Senegal's capital Dakar in April. The source shared details of the proposal, which were not made public. 
 
Under the agreement, the Institut Pasteur would use vaccine production technology developed by Univercells to supply COVID-19 vaccine shots to countries across West Africa. 
 
The institute would initially begin packaging and distributing vaccines produced by Univercells in Belgium early next year, the source involved in securing financing for the collaboration said. 
 
Univercells would transfer its full production line to Senegal in the second half of 2022, the source said, adding that the company would train local staff so they could eventually run the operation. 
 
Univercells chief investment officer Kate Antrobus, when asked about the timeframe for the project, confirmed that it could send vaccine doses to Senegal early next year. 
 
She declined to comment on the exact date for a full vaccine production line in Senegal but of the timelines referenced she said: "I do not think they are unreasonable." 
 
Timing depends on Univercells securing regulatory approval for a vaccine production site in Belgium. Antrobus said that was expected "any day now". 
 
Institut Pasteur director Amadou Sall declined to comment on the timeline or size of the project but said the facility was working with donors to secure financial backing. 
 
"There is a lot of political will, I am optimistic. But it is not about momentum, it is about creating a real opportunity," he said. 
 
It is not clear yet what vaccine will be supplied to Senegal, but Antrobus said the site in Belgium would be able to manufacture a class of so-called viral vector COVID-19 vaccine, such as those developed by Johnson &amp; Johnson, AstraZeneca, Russia's Sputnik V and China's Cansino. 
 
"If COVID-19 amazingly subsides over the next year....that same capacity could be used for other viruses," Antrobus said. 
 
Univercells also has its own COVID-19 vaccine candidate, being developed with Germany's Leukocare and Italian firm ReiThera, which has completed Phase II trials. It is seeking financing to carry out Phase III, which the Italian government said it is ready to fund.

(With inputs from agencies)

Senegal could begin producing COVID-19 vaccines next year under an agreement with Belgian biotech group Univercells aimed at boosting Africa's drug-manufacturing ambitions, a source involved in funding the project said.

Senegal could begin producing COVID-19 vaccines next year under an agreement with Belgian biotech group Univercells aimed at boosting Africa's drug-manufacturing ambitions, a source involved in funding the project said. As wealthy countries begin to reopen after securing vaccine supplies early, African nations are still struggling to acquire shots. On a continent of 1.3 billion, only about 7 million have been fully vaccinated. The collaboration highlights the opportunities created by a global push to channel money and technology towards production on a continent that makes only 1% of the vaccines it requires. Univercells announced the signing of a letter of intent for collaboration with the Institut Pasteur in Senegal's capital Dakar in April. The source shared details of the proposal, which were not made public. Under the agreement, the Institut Pasteur would use vaccine production technology developed by Univercells to supply COVID-19 vaccine shots to countries across West Africa. The institute would initially begin packaging and distributing vaccines produced by Univercells in Belgium early next year, the source involved in securing financing for the collaboration said. Univercells would transfer its full production line to Senegal in the second half of 2022, the source said, adding that the company would train local staff so they could eventually run the operation. Univercells chief investment officer Kate Antrobus, when asked about the timeframe for the project, confirmed that it could send vaccine doses to Senegal early next year. She declined to comment on the exact date for a full vaccine production line in Senegal but of the timelines referenced she said: "I do not think they are unreasonable." Timing depends on Univercells securing regulatory approval for a vaccine production site in Belgium. Antrobus said that was expected "any day now". Institut Pasteur director Amadou Sall declined to comment on the timeline or size of the project but said the facility was working with donors to secure financial backing. "There is a lot of political will, I am optimistic. But it is not about momentum, it is about creating a real opportunity," he said. It is not clear yet what vaccine will be supplied to Senegal, but Antrobus said the site in Belgium would be able to manufacture a class of so-called viral vector COVID-19 vaccine, such as those developed by Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Russia's Sputnik V and China's Cansino. "If COVID-19 amazingly subsides over the next year....that same capacity could be used for other viruses," Antrobus said. Univercells also has its own COVID-19 vaccine candidate, being developed with Germany's Leukocare and Italian firm ReiThera, which has completed Phase II trials. It is seeking financing to carry out Phase III, which the Italian government said it is ready to fund. (With inputs from agencies)

In boost for Africa, Senegal aims to make COVID-19 shots next year

A suspected Jihadist attack in Mali has claimed lives of four civilians and a police officer. The attack took place in the country's southern region. Southern Mali has been mostly spared from Islamist unrest in the country.

Unidentified men attacked a checkpoint near Bougouni town between 3:30 am and 4 am (local time). A local lawmaker told AFP that an outpost used by police and forest rangers was attacked.

The checkpoint sits on a key route between Mali and Ivory Coast.&nbsp;

The attack came as West African leaders from ECOWAS regional bloc prepared to meet in Ghana on Sunday. The meet is to discuss response to political turmoil in Mali. The country has witnessed second military coup in nine months.

New president Colonel Assimi Goita, who led the coup last August and was installed after transitional president Bah Ndaw and prime minister Moctar Ouane were stripped of the powers this week, is attending the ECOWAS talks in Accra.&nbsp;

Mali's elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was forced out by young army officers led by Goita last August over perceived corruption and his failure to quell a bloody jihadist insurgency.

The jihadist conflict first emerged in northern Mali in 2012 and has since spread to Burkina Faso and Niger, leaving swathes of the vast nation of 19 million people outside government control.

(With inputs from agencies)

A suspected Jihadist attack in Mali has claimed lives of four civilians and a police officer. The attack took place in the country's southern region. Southern Mali has been mostly spared from Islamist unrest in the country.

A suspected Jihadist attack in Mali has claimed lives of four civilians and a police officer. The attack took place in the country's southern region. Southern Mali has been mostly spared from Islamist unrest in the country. Unidentified men attacked a checkpoint near Bougouni town between 3:30 am and 4 am (local time). A local lawmaker told AFP that an outpost used by police and forest rangers was attacked. The checkpoint sits on a key route between Mali and Ivory Coast. The attack came as West African leaders from ECOWAS regional bloc prepared to meet in Ghana on Sunday. The meet is to discuss response to political turmoil in Mali. The country has witnessed second military coup in nine months. New president Colonel Assimi Goita, who led the coup last August and was installed after transitional president Bah Ndaw and prime minister Moctar Ouane were stripped of the powers this week, is attending the ECOWAS talks in Accra. Mali's elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was forced out by young army officers led by Goita last August over perceived corruption and his failure to quell a bloody jihadist insurgency. The jihadist conflict first emerged in northern Mali in 2012 and has since spread to Burkina Faso and Niger, leaving swathes of the vast nation of 19 million people outside government control. (With inputs from agencies)

Mali: Five killed in suspected Jihadist attack

Emmanuel Macron has asked for forgiveness, in an attempt to reset ties with Rwanda. The French President has announced debt relief to the Sudan. He is promising vaccines and a "new deal" to Africa. Palki Sharma tells you more about Macron's pivot to Africa.

Gravitas: Emmanuel Macron's Africa outreach

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states.&nbsp;

Impoverished African economies must not be left behind in the post-pandemic economic recovery and a substantial financial package is needed to provide much-needed economic stimulus, African and European leaders concluded at a summit in Paris.&nbsp;

In the immediate term, that meant accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and creating the fiscal breathing room for African nations, which will face a spending shortfall of some $285 billion over the next two years, the summit communique showed.&nbsp;

The communique set out a two-pronged response based on addressing financing needs to support a sustainable, green recovery and the underpinning of private-sector-driven growth, but it was light on concrete commitments.&nbsp;

"This is a new start, a new deal for Africa," Senegalese President Macky Sall told reporters.&nbsp;

International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva said it was time to stem the 'dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially (in) Africa’. &nbsp;

Georgieva said the African continent's economic output would increase by only 3.2% in 2021, compared with 6% in the rest of the world.&nbsp;

Central to the talks was the question of how to reallocate IMF reserves (SDRs) that were earmarked for developed countries towards developing economies. &nbsp;

World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost SDRs by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion was to be allocated to Africa.&nbsp;

Macron said France had decided to redirect its SDRs and that there had been an accord to try to get rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion to Africa.&nbsp;

"Our work in the next few weeks will be to make the same rate of effort as France, starting with the United States of America, and I know all the work that we will have to do with Congress and the executive, but I am confident," he told reporters.&nbsp;

Georgieva pledged to come up with a new allocation proposal by August.&nbsp;

"On the $100 billion, is it enough? Let's be very clear, no it is not enough. We have a financial gap just to catch up with the impact of Covid for the continent of Africa of $285 billion, she said. "It is genuinely an all-hands-on-deck situation."&nbsp;

"We have to make the private sector attracted to go into a risky environment by de-risking investments."&nbsp;

The summit was part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time when the continent faces a near $300 billion deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn.&nbsp;

The African Development Bank forecasts that up to 39 million people could fall into poverty this year, with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states. Impoverished African economies must not be left behind in the post-pandemic economic recovery and a substantial financial package is needed to provide much-needed economic stimulus, African and European leaders concluded at a summit in Paris. In the immediate term, that meant accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and creating the fiscal breathing room for African nations, which will face a spending shortfall of some $285 billion over the next two years, the summit communique showed. The communique set out a two-pronged response based on addressing financing needs to support a sustainable, green recovery and the underpinning of private-sector-driven growth, but it was light on concrete commitments. "This is a new start, a new deal for Africa," Senegalese President Macky Sall told reporters. International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva said it was time to stem the 'dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially (in) Africa’. Georgieva said the African continent's economic output would increase by only 3.2% in 2021, compared with 6% in the rest of the world. Central to the talks was the question of how to reallocate IMF reserves (SDRs) that were earmarked for developed countries towards developing economies. World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost SDRs by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion was to be allocated to Africa. Macron said France had decided to redirect its SDRs and that there had been an accord to try to get rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion to Africa. "Our work in the next few weeks will be to make the same rate of effort as France, starting with the United States of America, and I know all the work that we will have to do with Congress and the executive, but I am confident," he told reporters. Georgieva pledged to come up with a new allocation proposal by August. "On the $100 billion, is it enough? Let's be very clear, no it is not enough. We have a financial gap just to catch up with the impact of Covid for the continent of Africa of $285 billion, she said. "It is genuinely an all-hands-on-deck situation." "We have to make the private sector attracted to go into a risky environment by de-risking investments." The summit was part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time when the continent faces a near $300 billion deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn. The African Development Bank forecasts that up to 39 million people could fall into poverty this year, with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

France, African leaders push to redirect $100 billion in IMF SDR reserves by October 

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic.

"Africa has all it takes to succeed. It has a youth, a productive force, and the ability to take on challenges, such as the climate and food emergencies in particular, if we, collectively, decide to propose a new deal," Macron said.

The summit is part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time the continent faces a near 300 billion dollar deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn.

About 30 African and European heads of state, as well as heads of financial institutions like International Monetary Fund have come together in the summit.

"We are gathered here to reverse what has developed as a very dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially Africa," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. "We have to go back to the strong development Africa had before COVID, for Africa and for the rest of the world."

The African Development Bank estimates that as many as 39 million people could fall below the poverty line this year with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic.

Macron has said he believes Africa needs a "New Deal" to give the continent a breath of fresh air.

World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost reserves (SDR) at the International Monetary Fund by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion will be allocated to Africa.

The replenishment of the World Bank's International Development Association, which provides emergency aid, private sector investment, and the broader question of how to treat the debt crisis will be discussed.

(With inputs from agencies)

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic.

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic. "Africa has all it takes to succeed. It has a youth, a productive force, and the ability to take on challenges, such as the climate and food emergencies in particular, if we, collectively, decide to propose a new deal," Macron said. The summit is part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time the continent faces a near 300 billion dollar deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn. About 30 African and European heads of state, as well as heads of financial institutions like International Monetary Fund have come together in the summit. "We are gathered here to reverse what has developed as a very dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially Africa," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. "We have to go back to the strong development Africa had before COVID, for Africa and for the rest of the world." The African Development Bank estimates that as many as 39 million people could fall below the poverty line this year with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic. Macron has said he believes Africa needs a "New Deal" to give the continent a breath of fresh air. World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost reserves (SDR) at the International Monetary Fund by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion will be allocated to Africa. The replenishment of the World Bank's International Development Association, which provides emergency aid, private sector investment, and the broader question of how to treat the debt crisis will be discussed. (With inputs from agencies)

Paris Summit: Macron calls for investment, good governance in Africa

A child no older than three laid to rest sideways in an earthen grave 78,000 years ago, legs carefully tucked up against its tiny chest, is the earliest known human burial in Africa, researchers reported Wednesday.

The sunken pit, in a cave complex along the coast of Kenya, was bereft of ornaments, offerings or ochre-coloured clay carvings found in the region's more recent Stone Age graves, they detailed in the journal Nature.&nbsp;

But "Mtoto" - Swahili for "child" -&nbsp;had been wrapped in a shroud with her or his head resting on what was probably a pillow, "indicating that the community may have undertaken some form of funerary rite", said lead author Maria Martinon-Torres, director of the National Research Centre on Human Evolution, in Burgos, Spain.

The extraordinary find highlights the emergence of both complex social behaviour among Homo sapiens, and cultural differences across populations of modern humans in Africa and beyond.

Fragments of the child's bones were dug up at the Panga ya Saidi caves in 2013, but it wasn't until five years later that the shallow, circular grave -- three metres below the cave floor -- was fully exposed, revealing a tight cluster and decomposed bones.

"At this point, we weren't sure what we had found," said Emmanuel Ndiema of the National Museum of Kenya. "The bones were just too delicate to study in the field." &nbsp;

Archaeologists stabilised and plastered them into a bundle and transported them, first to the museum and then to the research centre in Spain.

"We started uncovering parts of the skull and face," Martinon-Torres said.&nbsp;

"The articulation of the spine and the ribs was also astonishingly well preserved, even conserving the curvature of the thorax cage."

Subsequent microscopic analysis and luminescence dating confirmed that Mtoto's tiny body had been carefully covered with dirt from around the pit, and had rested undisturbed for nearly 80,000 years.

<h2>'Culturally embedded'&nbsp;</h2>

Homo sapiens originated in Africa, but little is known about mortuary practices on the continent compared to Europe and the Middle East, where even older human burial sites have been unearthed, including one in Israel thought to be 120,000 years old.

Intriguingly, infant and child burials make up nearly half of all known interments from that time until the end of the Middle Stone Age, about 30,000 years ago.

The same holds for our genetic cousins the Neanderthals, whose ritual burials in Eurasia go back at least a half-a-million years.

"Burials where the body is in a flexed position are very common, it's difficult to know exactly why," said Martinon-Torres.&nbsp;

"Some researchers have argued that it is for practical reasons, to put the bodies in a smaller space, but one can also see it as putting the child in a sleeping position," she continued.

"Being wrapped, while lying in this foetal position, could be somehow a way to transfer some human warmth in such a cold moment."

The limited number of known early human burial sites in Africa could reflect the relative paucity of archaeological research, experts say.&nbsp;

Or environmental conditions: the ones located so far are bunched in the dry north and temperate southern Africa, climates more favourable to preservation.

Stone Age burial sites often reveal the beginnings of culture, especially when they point to "a departure from purely practical motivations toward a more meaningful treatment of the dead", noted Louse Humphrey, a researcher at the Centre for Human Evolution at the Natural History Museum in London.&nbsp;

"Such actions include careful placement of the corpse in the grave to achieve a desired body position or orientation, the wrapping or binding of the body for reasons other than to aid transportation, or the deliberate incorporation of items of value in the grave," she wrote in a commentary, also in Nature.

Mtoto's final resting place fulfilled the first two of these criteria, and possibly the third.

The new finding, along with a child burial site in South Africa dating back nearly as far, "suggest that a tradition of symbolically significant burials, at least for the very young, might have been culturally embedded in parts of Africa in the later part of the Middle Stone Age," she wrote. 
&nbsp;

A child no older than three laid to rest sideways in an earthen grave 78,000 years ago, legs carefully tucked up against its tiny chest, is the earliest known human burial in Africa, researchers reported Wednesday.

A child no older than three laid to rest sideways in an earthen grave 78,000 years ago, legs carefully tucked up against its tiny chest, is the earliest known human burial in Africa, researchers reported Wednesday. The sunken pit, in a cave complex along the coast of Kenya, was bereft of ornaments, offerings or ochre-coloured clay carvings found in the region's more recent Stone Age graves, they detailed in the journal Nature. But "Mtoto" - Swahili for "child" - had been wrapped in a shroud with her or his head resting on what was probably a pillow, "indicating that the community may have undertaken some form of funerary rite", said lead author Maria Martinon-Torres, director of the National Research Centre on Human Evolution, in Burgos, Spain. The extraordinary find highlights the emergence of both complex social behaviour among Homo sapiens, and cultural differences across populations of modern humans in Africa and beyond. Fragments of the child's bones were dug up at the Panga ya Saidi caves in 2013, but it wasn't until five years later that the shallow, circular grave -- three metres below the cave floor -- was fully exposed, revealing a tight cluster and decomposed bones. "At this point, we weren't sure what we had found," said Emmanuel Ndiema of the National Museum of Kenya. "The bones were just too delicate to study in the field." Archaeologists stabilised and plastered them into a bundle and transported them, first to the museum and then to the research centre in Spain. "We started uncovering parts of the skull and face," Martinon-Torres said. "The articulation of the spine and the ribs was also astonishingly well preserved, even conserving the curvature of the thorax cage." Subsequent microscopic analysis and luminescence dating confirmed that Mtoto's tiny body had been carefully covered with dirt from around the pit, and had rested undisturbed for nearly 80,000 years. 'Culturally embedded' Homo sapiens originated in Africa, but little is known about mortuary practices on the continent compared to Europe and the Middle East, where even older human burial sites have been unearthed, including one in Israel thought to be 120,000 years old. Intriguingly, infant and child burials make up nearly half of all known interments from that time until the end of the Middle Stone Age, about 30,000 years ago. The same holds for our genetic cousins the Neanderthals, whose ritual burials in Eurasia go back at least a half-a-million years. "Burials where the body is in a flexed position are very common, it's difficult to know exactly why," said Martinon-Torres. "Some researchers have argued that it is for practical reasons, to put the bodies in a smaller space, but one can also see it as putting the child in a sleeping position," she continued. "Being wrapped, while lying in this foetal position, could be somehow a way to transfer some human warmth in such a cold moment." The limited number of known early human burial sites in Africa could reflect the relative paucity of archaeological research, experts say. Or environmental conditions: the ones located so far are bunched in the dry north and temperate southern Africa, climates more favourable to preservation. Stone Age burial sites often reveal the beginnings of culture, especially when they point to "a departure from purely practical motivations toward a more meaningful treatment of the dead", noted Louse Humphrey, a researcher at the Centre for Human Evolution at the Natural History Museum in London. "Such actions include careful placement of the corpse in the grave to achieve a desired body position or orientation, the wrapping or binding of the body for reasons other than to aid transportation, or the deliberate incorporation of items of value in the grave," she wrote in a commentary, also in Nature. Mtoto's final resting place fulfilled the first two of these criteria, and possibly the third. The new finding, along with a child burial site in South Africa dating back nearly as far, "suggest that a tradition of symbolically significant burials, at least for the very young, might have been culturally embedded in parts of Africa in the later part of the Middle Stone Age," she wrote.

Three-year old Mtoto, Africa's earliest known human burial from 78,000 years ago

Esther Wanjiru started using&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in&nbsp;Kenya.

"I am a heavy junkie, I usually need two doses," said Wanjiru, 22, as she puts the needle to a damaged vein, surrounded by about 60 other addicts in a clearing behind a church in a Nairobi slum.

Once just a passing stop on the trafficking route to Europe,&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;is becoming a major destination in itself for&nbsp;heroin, with addiction rising as tonnes of powder pass through East Africa.

These days a hit costs as little as 120 shillings (USD$1.10/0.90 euros), creating a devastating path to dependence for poor, troubled Kenyans like Wanjiru.

Wanjiru says she will do anything, even crime or prostitution, to get hold of the drug.

Heroin&nbsp;once reached Europe via the "Balkan Route": smuggled from the poppy fields of Afghanistan overland through the Middle East to capitals in the west.

But the Syrian conflict and border controls that tightened as waves of migrants sought refuge in Europe forced traffickers to change tack.&nbsp;

They turned to the sea to get around the problem.&nbsp;Heroin&nbsp;was put on ships and sailed across the Indian Ocean to the porous eastern coast of Africa, and mulled northward to Europe.

The&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;connect&nbsp;

Mombasa became the main port of arrival.&nbsp;Kenya, a beacon of security in a volatile region, but rife with corruption and lacking oversight, offered smugglers a reliable place to offload their product. &nbsp;

"Narcotraffickers are really identifying&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;as being one of the most stable countries in the region," said Amado De Andres, a former regional director for East Africa at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The lion's share of the&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;hauled ashore, estimated by UNODC at 42 tonnes annually, was earmarked for distant markets.&nbsp;

But in time, local interest steadily grew.

Traffickers kept around five tonnes aside for regional sale as demand for&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;flourished into a $150-million (125-million-euro) business, with most buyers in&nbsp;Kenya.

"Kenya&nbsp;was formerly a transit route, and has increasingly become a destination for&nbsp;heroin," said Victor Okioma, the head of the government-run National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA).

In 2018, the Ministry of Health estimated 27,000 people were injecting or smoking&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;in a survey of one-third of&nbsp;Kenya's counties.&nbsp;

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, a Geneva-based NGO, estimated 55,000 injectors alone, pointing to a higher overall figure.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/myanmar-drug-surge-worry-for-neighbours-including-india-381602">Myanmar drug surge worry for neighbours including India</a>

It is now the second-most consumed drug in the country of nearly 50 million behind cannabis, NACADA says.

Around 1 per cent of teenagers aged 14-18 years had admitted using the highly addictive drug, Okioma said.&nbsp;

"Heroin&nbsp;is being consumed even in primary schools," he said.

Covid curse

Kenya&nbsp;created a coastguard in 2018, bolstered container checks at Mombasa's ports, and recently began participating in an Interpol-led drug detection program at its international airport in Nairobi.

Seizures of&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;and morphine have increased tenfold in Africa between 2008 and 2018 and the majority were made in East Africa, according to the UNODC.&nbsp;

But&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;still finds its way to users like Wanjiru, and others facing hard times.

"I can assure you, the number of users is growing also because now of the situation of Covid," John Kimani, the executive director of KeNPUD, a Kenyan harm reduction program.

"There's depression....&nbsp;people lost jobs," and turned to drugs.

Kenya&nbsp;has been expanding access to methadone, a&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;substitute, which helps keeps withdrawal symptoms at bay and allows addicts to wean off the drug.

The UNODC says there are around 10 clinics serving an estimated 7,000&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;addicts in&nbsp;Kenya, but they can't reach all in need.

The nearest clinic to James Kwenga is on the other side of Nairobi, and transport costs about 150 shillings ($1.30, 1.16 euros).

"I can't afford that every day, because I don't have a job," said the homeless man. "If they can't come near here, many people can't beat this drug."

Esther Wanjiru started using heroin at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in Kenya.

Esther Wanjiru started using heroin at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in Kenya. "I am a heavy junkie, I usually need two doses," said Wanjiru, 22, as she puts the needle to a damaged vein, surrounded by about 60 other addicts in a clearing behind a church in a Nairobi slum. Once just a passing stop on the trafficking route to Europe, Kenya is becoming a major destination in itself for heroin, with addiction rising as tonnes of powder pass through East Africa. These days a hit costs as little as 120 shillings (USD$1.10/0.90 euros), creating a devastating path to dependence for poor, troubled Kenyans like Wanjiru. Wanjiru says she will do anything, even crime or prostitution, to get hold of the drug. Heroin once reached Europe via the "Balkan Route": smuggled from the poppy fields of Afghanistan overland through the Middle East to capitals in the west. But the Syrian conflict and border controls that tightened as waves of migrants sought refuge in Europe forced traffickers to change tack. They turned to the sea to get around the problem. Heroin was put on ships and sailed across the Indian Ocean to the porous eastern coast of Africa, and mulled northward to Europe. The Kenya connect Mombasa became the main port of arrival. Kenya, a beacon of security in a volatile region, but rife with corruption and lacking oversight, offered smugglers a reliable place to offload their product. "Narcotraffickers are really identifying Kenya as being one of the most stable countries in the region," said Amado De Andres, a former regional director for East Africa at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The lion's share of the heroin hauled ashore, estimated by UNODC at 42 tonnes annually, was earmarked for distant markets. But in time, local interest steadily grew. Traffickers kept around five tonnes aside for regional sale as demand for heroin flourished into a $150-million (125-million-euro) business, with most buyers in Kenya. "Kenya was formerly a transit route, and has increasingly become a destination for heroin," said Victor Okioma, the head of the government-run National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA). In 2018, the Ministry of Health estimated 27,000 people were injecting or smoking heroin in a survey of one-third of Kenya's counties. The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, a Geneva-based NGO, estimated 55,000 injectors alone, pointing to a higher overall figure. Also read | Myanmar drug surge worry for neighbours including India It is now the second-most consumed drug in the country of nearly 50 million behind cannabis, NACADA says. Around 1 per cent of teenagers aged 14-18 years had admitted using the highly addictive drug, Okioma said. "Heroin is being consumed even in primary schools," he said. Covid curse Kenya created a coastguard in 2018, bolstered container checks at Mombasa's ports, and recently began participating in an Interpol-led drug detection program at its international airport in Nairobi. Seizures of heroin and morphine have increased tenfold in Africa between 2008 and 2018 and the majority were made in East Africa, according to the UNODC. But heroin still finds its way to users like Wanjiru, and others facing hard times. "I can assure you, the number of users is growing also because now of the situation of Covid," John Kimani, the executive director of KeNPUD, a Kenyan harm reduction program. "There's depression.... people lost jobs," and turned to drugs. Kenya has been expanding access to methadone, a heroin substitute, which helps keeps withdrawal symptoms at bay and allows addicts to wean off the drug. The UNODC says there are around 10 clinics serving an estimated 7,000 heroin addicts in Kenya, but they can't reach all in need. The nearest clinic to James Kwenga is on the other side of Nairobi, and transport costs about 150 shillings ($1.30, 1.16 euros). "I can't afford that every day, because I don't have a job," said the homeless man. "If they can't come near here, many people can't beat this drug."

Formerly a transit route to Europe, Kenya becomes heroin hub

Sixteen Niger soldiers have been killed and another is missing after an ambush against a patrol in the Tahoua region near the Mali border, local officials said Sunday.

During the attack by "bandits" on Saturday the toll was "16 dead, six injured and one missing," Tahoua department secretary general Ibrahim Miko said on public television.

He attended the funeral of Lieutenant Maman Namewa, commander of the patrol which was attacked.

The vast desert area of Tahoua in the west of the country sits close to the borders of both Mali and Burkina Faso and has been plagued by jihadist violence since 2012.&nbsp;

In March an attack by suspected jihadists on three villages near Niger's border with Mali left a total of 141 people dead, according to the official toll.

They were the worst attacks committed by suspected jihadists in Niger in recent years.

The world's poorest nation according to the UN's development rankings for 189 countries, Niger is also struggling with Islamist insurgencies that have spilled over from Mali and Nigeria.&nbsp;

The attacks in western Niger are often attributed to groups affiliated to the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups.

Such attacks against civilians have multiplied this year, with over 300 people killed in villages and encampments in western Niger.

Sixteen Niger soldiers have been killed and another is missing after an ambush against a patrol in the Tahoua region near the Mali border, local officials said Sunday.

Sixteen Niger soldiers have been killed and another is missing after an ambush against a patrol in the Tahoua region near the Mali border, local officials said Sunday. During the attack by "bandits" on Saturday the toll was "16 dead, six injured and one missing," Tahoua department secretary general Ibrahim Miko said on public television. He attended the funeral of Lieutenant Maman Namewa, commander of the patrol which was attacked. The vast desert area of Tahoua in the west of the country sits close to the borders of both Mali and Burkina Faso and has been plagued by jihadist violence since 2012. In March an attack by suspected jihadists on three villages near Niger's border with Mali left a total of 141 people dead, according to the official toll. They were the worst attacks committed by suspected jihadists in Niger in recent years. The world's poorest nation according to the UN's development rankings for 189 countries, Niger is also struggling with Islamist insurgencies that have spilled over from Mali and Nigeria. The attacks in western Niger are often attributed to groups affiliated to the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups. Such attacks against civilians have multiplied this year, with over 300 people killed in villages and encampments in western Niger.

16 soldiers killed, one missing in Niger ambush: official

The raging state of the&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;pandemic is India is a&nbsp;wake-up&nbsp;call&nbsp;for&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the&nbsp;African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday.

African nations generally do not have sufficient numbers of health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and the continent of 1.3 billion would be even more overwhelmed than India if cases surged in a similar way, said John Nkengasong, head of the&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day">India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day</a>

"We are watching with total disbelief...What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent," he told reporters.

Nkengasong urged&nbsp;Africans to wear masks and avoid large gatherings, warning: "We cannot and should not find ourselves in (India's) scenario because of the very fragile nature of our health systems."

The AU will convene a meeting with all&nbsp;African ministers of health on May 8, Nkengasong said, to "put everybody on alert".

India, with 1.35 billion people, has a similar population size to the&nbsp;African continent, yet&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;has even weaker health systems, and unlike India does not manufacture significant quantities of drugs or vaccines, he added.

Heeding public health guidance is critical in&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;at the moment because the continent's rollout of&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;vaccines is hindered by the crisis in India, Nkengasong said.

The bulk of the vaccines supplied so far to&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;via the global vaccine-sharing facility COVAX have been AstraZeneca shots manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. India suspended its exports of the shot in March to cope with rising domestic demand.

It remains unclear when exports will resume, Nkengasong said on Thursday, warning the situation in India could impact the predictability of&nbsp;Africa's vaccine rollout "for the weeks and perhaps months to come".

Africa&nbsp;could benefit from additional supplies if two Chinese-made vaccines secure approval from the World Health Organisation next week, a WHO&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;official said.

"If we have more vaccines that have been approved for WHO pre-qualification, we know that more of these candidates can enter into our continent without any further issues," Phionah Atuhebwe told an online weekly briefing.

Africa&nbsp;recorded nearly 76,000 new&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;infections from April&nbsp;19-25, a 8% decline from the previous week, according to&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;CDC data.

India reported more than 379,000 new&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;cases and 3,645 new deaths on Thursday alone. It was the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in the world's second most populous country since the start of the pandemic.

The raging state of the COVID-19 pandemic is India is a wake-up call for Africa that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday.

The raging state of the COVID-19 pandemic is India is a wake-up call for Africa that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday. African nations generally do not have sufficient numbers of health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and the continent of 1.3 billion would be even more overwhelmed than India if cases surged in a similar way, said John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Also read: India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day "We are watching with total disbelief...What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent," he told reporters. Nkengasong urged Africans to wear masks and avoid large gatherings, warning: "We cannot and should not find ourselves in (India's) scenario because of the very fragile nature of our health systems." The AU will convene a meeting with all African ministers of health on May 8, Nkengasong said, to "put everybody on alert". India, with 1.35 billion people, has a similar population size to the African continent, yet Africa has even weaker health systems, and unlike India does not manufacture significant quantities of drugs or vaccines, he added. Heeding public health guidance is critical in Africa at the moment because the continent's rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is hindered by the crisis in India, Nkengasong said. The bulk of the vaccines supplied so far to Africa via the global vaccine-sharing facility COVAX have been AstraZeneca shots manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. India suspended its exports of the shot in March to cope with rising domestic demand. It remains unclear when exports will resume, Nkengasong said on Thursday, warning the situation in India could impact the predictability of Africa's vaccine rollout "for the weeks and perhaps months to come". Africa could benefit from additional supplies if two Chinese-made vaccines secure approval from the World Health Organisation next week, a WHO Africa official said. "If we have more vaccines that have been approved for WHO pre-qualification, we know that more of these candidates can enter into our continent without any further issues," Phionah Atuhebwe told an online weekly briefing. Africa recorded nearly 76,000 new COVID-19 infections from April 19-25, a 8% decline from the previous week, according to Africa CDC data. India reported more than 379,000 new COVID-19 cases and 3,645 new deaths on Thursday alone. It was the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in the world's second most populous country since the start of the pandemic.

India's COVID-19 emergency is a wake-up call to Africa: African Union health chief

Chad's new military junta on Monday named former prime minister Albert Pahimi Padacke, who was runner-up in the Sahel country's April 11 presidential election, as interim premier.

Pahimi Padacke was the last prime minister under president Idriss Deby Itno, whose shock death in battle against northern rebels triggered the creation of a so-called Transitional Military Council (TMC) headed by his 37-year-old son, Mahamat Idriss Deby.

Deby, who himself came to power in 1990 at the head of a rebel force, had gone to the region to lead the fighting against the Libya-based Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT).

The military council took power last week, pledging to hold elections in 18 months.

Pahimi Padacke is to head a transitional government whose members will be named or revoked by the new junta leader, the decree said.

The younger Deby, a four-star general who previously commanded the elite Republican Guard, was named president and head of the TMC and parliament was dissolved -- a move branded an "institutional coup" by the opposition.

The junta on Sunday vowed to root out FACT leader Mahamat Mahadi Ali, accusing him of "war crimes" and seeking help from neighbouring Niger to track him down along with his fighters.

The army has "located the enemy spread out in small groups, now regrouping in Niger territory," said junta spokesman Azem Bermandoa Agouna.

Chad's new military junta on Monday named former prime minister Albert Pahimi Padacke, who was runner-up in the Sahel country's April 11 presidential election, as interim premier.

Chad's new military junta on Monday named former prime minister Albert Pahimi Padacke, who was runner-up in the Sahel country's April 11 presidential election, as interim premier. Pahimi Padacke was the last prime minister under president Idriss Deby Itno, whose shock death in battle against northern rebels triggered the creation of a so-called Transitional Military Council (TMC) headed by his 37-year-old son, Mahamat Idriss Deby. Deby, who himself came to power in 1990 at the head of a rebel force, had gone to the region to lead the fighting against the Libya-based Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT). The military council took power last week, pledging to hold elections in 18 months. Pahimi Padacke is to head a transitional government whose members will be named or revoked by the new junta leader, the decree said. The younger Deby, a four-star general who previously commanded the elite Republican Guard, was named president and head of the TMC and parliament was dissolved -- a move branded an "institutional coup" by the opposition. The junta on Sunday vowed to root out FACT leader Mahamat Mahadi Ali, accusing him of "war crimes" and seeking help from neighbouring Niger to track him down along with his fighters. The army has "located the enemy spread out in small groups, now regrouping in Niger territory," said junta spokesman Azem Bermandoa Agouna.

Chad junta names presidential runner-up as interim PM

Rebels in Chad who launched a major incursion into the north of the country two weeks ago and have been accused by the Chadian army of killing veteran ruler Idriss Deby Itno, are "prepared to observe a ceasefire", their chief told AFP on Saturday.

"We have affirmed our availability to observe a truce, a ceasefire... but this morning we were bombarded again", Mahamat Mahadi Ali, head of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) said when contacted by AFP from Libreville in Gabon.&nbsp;

But Mahadi Ali warned that the ceasefire had to be observed by both sides.

"We cannot respect the truce unilaterally. A truce must be made on both sides. We will not fold our arms and let ourselves be massacred," he said.

In response, a spokesman for the military council headed by Idriss Deby's son and successor, Mahamat Idriss Deby, said: "They are rebels, which is why we are bombing them. We are waging war, that's all."&nbsp;

On Friday, Chad staged a state funeral for Idriss Deby Itno, a linchpin in the fight against the Sahel's jihadist insurgency, and France and regional allies voiced backing for Mahamat Idriss Deby.&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron, in his tribute to the fallen president, said: "You lived as a soldier, you died as a soldier, weapons in your hands".

"France will never let anyone, either today or tomorrow, challenge Chad's stability and integrity," Macron pledged.

But Macron also called on the newly-appointed military government to foster "stability, inclusion, dialogue, democratic transition".

Rebels in Chad who launched a major incursion into the north of the country two weeks ago and have been accused by the Chadian army of killing veteran ruler Idriss Deby Itno, are "prepared to observe a ceasefire", their chief told AFP on Saturday.

Rebels in Chad who launched a major incursion into the north of the country two weeks ago and have been accused by the Chadian army of killing veteran ruler Idriss Deby Itno, are "prepared to observe a ceasefire", their chief told AFP on Saturday. "We have affirmed our availability to observe a truce, a ceasefire... but this morning we were bombarded again", Mahamat Mahadi Ali, head of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) said when contacted by AFP from Libreville in Gabon. But Mahadi Ali warned that the ceasefire had to be observed by both sides. "We cannot respect the truce unilaterally. A truce must be made on both sides. We will not fold our arms and let ourselves be massacred," he said. In response, a spokesman for the military council headed by Idriss Deby's son and successor, Mahamat Idriss Deby, said: "They are rebels, which is why we are bombing them. We are waging war, that's all." On Friday, Chad staged a state funeral for Idriss Deby Itno, a linchpin in the fight against the Sahel's jihadist insurgency, and France and regional allies voiced backing for Mahamat Idriss Deby. French President Emmanuel Macron, in his tribute to the fallen president, said: "You lived as a soldier, you died as a soldier, weapons in your hands". "France will never let anyone, either today or tomorrow, challenge Chad's stability and integrity," Macron pledged. But Macron also called on the newly-appointed military government to foster "stability, inclusion, dialogue, democratic transition".

Chad rebels 'prepared to observe ceasefire', chief tells AFP

500 Elephants have been put on sale in Zimbabwe for 'trophy hunting'. Tourism authorities say they need money. Activists say the mammal is already getting extinct. Who will help the world's most empathetic species?WION’s Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: 500 Elephants put on sale for hunting

According to a report by a team of researchers from the University of Oxford and their partners, R21/Matrix-M, a malaria&nbsp;vaccine which was in its Phase IIb trial, showed an efficacy of 77 per cent over a period of 12 months. This efficacy rate makes this vaccine the first ever to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) specified 75 per cent efficacy goal.

The team behind the vaccine hopes that it will be approved for use within the next two years. "With the commitment by our commercial partner, the Serum Institute of India, to manufacture at least 200 million doses annually in the coming years, the vaccine has the potential to have a major public health impact if licensure is achieved.", said Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute, co-author of the paper.

Hill also said that "we and others have found that if you vaccinate just before the malaria season, you get maybe a 10 per cent improvement or something like that in efficacy - that's not published yet but will be coming out fairly soon from another group", adding that he was "pretty confident" that the proven 77 per cent efficacy could be replicated in the upcoming phase of the trial.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/drug-resistant-malaria-making-inroads-in-africa-study-377979">Drug-resistant malaria making inroads in Africa: Study</a>

Prof Adrian Hill said that the vaccine is&nbsp;in his opinion the world’s most effective vaccine against malaria “in the sense that no other vaccine has had a primary endpoint with over 75 per cent&nbsp;efficacy”. Talking about his team’s excitement over this, he added that there is still a final phase of testing for the vaccine to go through.

Malaria leads to the fatality of hundreds of thousands of children each year all over the world and is a disease that just last year was the cause of death for approximately four times the number of people killed by COVID-19.

According to a report by a team of researchers from the University of Oxford and their partners, R21/Matrix-M, a malaria vaccine which was in its Phase IIb trial, showed an efficacy of 77 per cent over a period of 12 months.

According to a report by a team of researchers from the University of Oxford and their partners, R21/Matrix-M, a malaria vaccine which was in its Phase IIb trial, showed an efficacy of 77 per cent over a period of 12 months. This efficacy rate makes this vaccine the first ever to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) specified 75 per cent efficacy goal. The team behind the vaccine hopes that it will be approved for use within the next two years. "With the commitment by our commercial partner, the Serum Institute of India, to manufacture at least 200 million doses annually in the coming years, the vaccine has the potential to have a major public health impact if licensure is achieved.", said Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute, co-author of the paper. Hill also said that "we and others have found that if you vaccinate just before the malaria season, you get maybe a 10 per cent improvement or something like that in efficacy - that's not published yet but will be coming out fairly soon from another group", adding that he was "pretty confident" that the proven 77 per cent efficacy could be replicated in the upcoming phase of the trial. Also read | Drug-resistant malaria making inroads in Africa: Study Prof Adrian Hill said that the vaccine is in his opinion the world’s most effective vaccine against malaria “in the sense that no other vaccine has had a primary endpoint with over 75 per cent efficacy”. Talking about his team’s excitement over this, he added that there is still a final phase of testing for the vaccine to go through. Malaria leads to the fatality of hundreds of thousands of children each year all over the world and is a disease that just last year was the cause of death for approximately four times the number of people killed by COVID-19.

World’s first malaria vaccine to achieve WHO-specified efficacy developed in UK

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. 
 
The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic stands at 118,194, while 3,980,551 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease. 
 
South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are the countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC. South Africa has recorded 1,567,513 COVID-19 cases, the highest among African countries, followed by Morocco with 505,949 and Tunisia with 287,061 cases, it said. 
 
African countries have so far received over 33.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from different sources, mainly from the COVAX facility and through bilateral agreements outside COVAX, according to the Africa CDC.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic stands at 118,194, while 3,980,551 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease. South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are the countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC. South Africa has recorded 1,567,513 COVID-19 cases, the highest among African countries, followed by Morocco with 505,949 and Tunisia with 287,061 cases, it said. African countries have so far received over 33.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from different sources, mainly from the COVAX facility and through bilateral agreements outside COVAX, according to the Africa CDC.

Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 4.43 million: Africa CDC

When Ghana received 50,000&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses from India last month, it hit a frustrating roadblock: it had not trained enough staff to distribute them.

The country was still rolling out shots received in late February from the global&nbsp;vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX, and didn't have the capacity to expand that operation, according to the head of Ghana's immunisation programme.

Rather than going straight into the arms of health workers, the additional doses were put in cold storage in the capital Accra, Kwame Amponsa-Achiano told Reuters, adding that his team had received two days' notice about the shipment.

"We were in the middle of the first campaign," Amponsa-Achiano said. "How do you plan for 50,000 when you already are doing another campaign?"

The problems faced by Ghana, one of sub-Saharan&nbsp;Africa's more economically developed nations, illustrate how a continent with experience in battling deadly infectious diseases has found itself ill-prepared to inoculate people against this pandemic.

Many&nbsp;African countries, already facing a shortage of affordable&nbsp;vaccines, are being stunned by the unprecedented scale of the distribution&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;when doses do arrive.

Authorities do not have enough equipment like masks and cotton wool because of funding shortfalls that could total billions of dollars, according to more than a dozen health experts and some internal government documents seen by Reuters.

They also lack sufficient personnel and training to distribute&nbsp;vaccines at short notice.

While&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;has thus far been relatively unscathed by&nbsp;COVID-19, some experts fear stuttering rollouts could draw out the outbreak in the region, potentially leading to more deaths and economically damaging restrictions in a continent that is already the poorest in the world.

Benjamin Schreiber, COVAX coordinator at the UN&nbsp;children's agency UNICEF, said logistical problems could mount in the coming weeks and months as countries tried to get&nbsp;vaccines to their general populations.

"As we start rolling out bigger quantities, we are going to start seeing more issues," Schreiber said.

"The gaps in the healthcare systems will be the gaps that hinder the rollouts," he added. "My worry is that we miss complete communities."

NEEDED: MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

Ghana, where the novel coronavirus has infected more than 91,000 and killed over 750, is considered one of the better-prepared countries in&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;to carry out a mass vaccination drive because of its political stability and economic development.

The government aims to initially inoculate 17.6 million people - about half of its population - at a cost of $51.7 million, according to a national plan seen by Reuters.

It hopes to cover $7.9 million of that money with a World Bank loan but is short of $43.8 million, described as a "funding gap" in the internal government document.

Immunisation chief Amponsa-Achiano said he was not aware that the situation had changed since the plan was formulated in February.

The Ghanaian finance and health ministries did not respond to requests for comment.

Ghana was the first country in the world to receive a shipment from COVAX, taking delivery of 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University&nbsp;vaccine, manufactured in India, on Feb. 24.

It started its&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;drive on March 1, and had vaccinated 599,000 people by April 7.

While that vaccination rate is better than many of its&nbsp;African peers - Ivory Coast vaccinated just over 53,000 people between March 1 and April 6 - it is far behind the fastest countries globally. Britain, for example, administered doses to about 2 million people in roughly the first month of its drive.

NEEDED: FRIDGES, COTTON WOOL

The Ghanaian national plan shows how even relatively prosperous&nbsp;African nations lack vital equipment.

Money is needed across the board, including $1.5 million for 11 walk-in cold rooms and over 650 fridges to keep&nbsp;vaccines at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.

About $25 million is needed for supplies and waste management, including 33,600 boxes of face masks, 240,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and nearly 55,000 rolls of cotton wool, the plan says. About $21 million is needed to train over 171,000 health workers and volunteers.

To add to Ghana's&nbsp;challenge, its next COVAX shipments, expected in April and May, have been delayed until June, because India suspended major exports of&nbsp;vaccines manufactured there.

In its 2021 budget, outlined in mid-March, the Ghanaian government allotted 929,296,610 cedis ($160 million) for&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;acquisition and deployment.

Amponsa-Achiano said, though, it was not clear how much would go towards distribution, or when the funds would materialise.

It is a common problem in&nbsp;Africa, UNICEF's Schreiber said.

"The question is at what point will this funding hit the ground? Will it be in time?"

CONGO EBOLA OUTBREAKS

Some&nbsp;African authorities are familiar with deadly contagions. Since 2018, Congo has contained four Ebola outbreaks with a&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;which must be stored at between -60 and -80 degrees Celsius.

But the scale of the&nbsp;COVID-19 vaccination drive is new.

COVAX - the donor scheme co-led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) - has delivered over 18 million doses to 41&nbsp;African countries, according to Reuters data.

That's the first wave in a drive expected to deliver 600 million doses to&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;this year, enough to vaccinate 20 per cent of their populations. Russia, China and India have also donated some of their&nbsp;vaccines.

Funding is only one issue delaying&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;rollouts.

Another is patchy record-keeping in many public health systems, which experts say make it difficult to identify people who should be prioritised because of age or co-morbidities.

Demand for shots is also weak in some countries due to mistrust of health authorities, lack of education about the&nbsp;vaccines and worries about potential side effects.

Spotty electricity and poor transport links in some places add to the&nbsp;challenge, while medical teams will have to negotiate safe passage across parts of Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Somalia and other places where insurgencies rage.

VACCINATING UNTIL END-2022?

John Nkengasong, who heads the&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, says it could take until the end of 2022 to vaccinate 60 per cent of the continent's 1.3 billion people.

Take the task facing Mali, an impoverished country fighting an Islamist insurgency. It needs $14.7 million to deploy&nbsp;vaccines, including for gasoline,&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;storage and training, according to an internal government vaccination plan seen by Reuters.

The government will need funding support from the WHO, UNICEF, the GAVI&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;alliance and the World Bank, the plan says. Those organisations are all looking to provide funding to&nbsp;African nations facing shortfalls.

South Sudan, still racked by violence after a civil war ended in 2018, has seen&nbsp;COVID-19 infect at least 10,300 people and kill more than 100.

It began distributing 132,000&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses from COVAX on April 7. However, authorities won't start administering shots outside the capital Juba and its surrounding county until May at the earliest, said Kawa Tong, a member of a&nbsp;COVID-19 steering committee that advises the government.

"The key reason is the lack of funds for a rollout outside Juba. The transport of&nbsp;vaccines, training of health workers, community outreach - all these are tied to funding," Tong told Reuters.

Adding to the difficulties, by May the rainy season will be well underway, cutting off transport links to large parts of the country, she said. The vast majority of the 11 million-strong population live outside Juba county.

Atem Riek Anyom, director general for primary healthcare at South Sudan's health ministry, said the government had requested World Bank funding, adding that&nbsp;vaccines would soon be deployed across the country.

"There's no&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;in regards to the&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;rollout," he added. &nbsp;

The World Bank, which has a $12 billion fund to help developing countries around the world buy and distribute&nbsp;vaccines, said it was reviewing requests from Mali and South Sudan.

The bank said it has approved $2 billion to 17 countries, including seven in&nbsp;Africa: Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Tunisia, Rwanda and Gambia.

When Ghana received 50,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from India last month, it hit a frustrating roadblock: it had not trained enough staff to distribute them. The country was still rolling out shots received in late February from the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX, and didn't have the capacity to expand that operation, according to the head of Ghana's immunisation programme.

When Ghana received 50,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from India last month, it hit a frustrating roadblock: it had not trained enough staff to distribute them. The country was still rolling out shots received in late February from the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX, and didn't have the capacity to expand that operation, according to the head of Ghana's immunisation programme. Rather than going straight into the arms of health workers, the additional doses were put in cold storage in the capital Accra, Kwame Amponsa-Achiano told Reuters, adding that his team had received two days' notice about the shipment. "We were in the middle of the first campaign," Amponsa-Achiano said. "How do you plan for 50,000 when you already are doing another campaign?" The problems faced by Ghana, one of sub-Saharan Africa's more economically developed nations, illustrate how a continent with experience in battling deadly infectious diseases has found itself ill-prepared to inoculate people against this pandemic. Many African countries, already facing a shortage of affordable vaccines, are being stunned by the unprecedented scale of the distribution challenge when doses do arrive. Authorities do not have enough equipment like masks and cotton wool because of funding shortfalls that could total billions of dollars, according to more than a dozen health experts and some internal government documents seen by Reuters. They also lack sufficient personnel and training to distribute vaccines at short notice. While Africa has thus far been relatively unscathed by COVID-19, some experts fear stuttering rollouts could draw out the outbreak in the region, potentially leading to more deaths and economically damaging restrictions in a continent that is already the poorest in the world. Benjamin Schreiber, COVAX coordinator at the UN children's agency UNICEF, said logistical problems could mount in the coming weeks and months as countries tried to get vaccines to their general populations. "As we start rolling out bigger quantities, we are going to start seeing more issues," Schreiber said. "The gaps in the healthcare systems will be the gaps that hinder the rollouts," he added. "My worry is that we miss complete communities." NEEDED: MILLIONS OF DOLLARS Ghana, where the novel coronavirus has infected more than 91,000 and killed over 750, is considered one of the better-prepared countries in Africa to carry out a mass vaccination drive because of its political stability and economic development. The government aims to initially inoculate 17.6 million people - about half of its population - at a cost of $51.7 million, according to a national plan seen by Reuters. It hopes to cover $7.9 million of that money with a World Bank loan but is short of $43.8 million, described as a "funding gap" in the internal government document. Immunisation chief Amponsa-Achiano said he was not aware that the situation had changed since the plan was formulated in February. The Ghanaian finance and health ministries did not respond to requests for comment. Ghana was the first country in the world to receive a shipment from COVAX, taking delivery of 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine, manufactured in India, on Feb. 24. It started its vaccine drive on March 1, and had vaccinated 599,000 people by April 7. While that vaccination rate is better than many of its African peers - Ivory Coast vaccinated just over 53,000 people between March 1 and April 6 - it is far behind the fastest countries globally. Britain, for example, administered doses to about 2 million people in roughly the first month of its drive. NEEDED: FRIDGES, COTTON WOOL The Ghanaian national plan shows how even relatively prosperous African nations lack vital equipment. Money is needed across the board, including $1.5 million for 11 walk-in cold rooms and over 650 fridges to keep vaccines at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. About $25 million is needed for supplies and waste management, including 33,600 boxes of face masks, 240,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and nearly 55,000 rolls of cotton wool, the plan says. About $21 million is needed to train over 171,000 health workers and volunteers. To add to Ghana's challenge, its next COVAX shipments, expected in April and May, have been delayed until June, because India suspended major exports of vaccines manufactured there. In its 2021 budget, outlined in mid-March, the Ghanaian government allotted 929,296,610 cedis ($160 million) for vaccine acquisition and deployment. Amponsa-Achiano said, though, it was not clear how much would go towards distribution, or when the funds would materialise. It is a common problem in Africa, UNICEF's Schreiber said. "The question is at what point will this funding hit the ground? Will it be in time?" CONGO EBOLA OUTBREAKS Some African authorities are familiar with deadly contagions. Since 2018, Congo has contained four Ebola outbreaks with a vaccine which must be stored at between -60 and -80 degrees Celsius. But the scale of the COVID-19 vaccination drive is new. COVAX - the donor scheme co-led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) - has delivered over 18 million doses to 41 African countries, according to Reuters data. That's the first wave in a drive expected to deliver 600 million doses to Africa this year, enough to vaccinate 20 per cent of their populations. Russia, China and India have also donated some of their vaccines. Funding is only one issue delaying vaccine rollouts. Another is patchy record-keeping in many public health systems, which experts say make it difficult to identify people who should be prioritised because of age or co-morbidities. Demand for shots is also weak in some countries due to mistrust of health authorities, lack of education about the vaccines and worries about potential side effects. Spotty electricity and poor transport links in some places add to the challenge, while medical teams will have to negotiate safe passage across parts of Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Somalia and other places where insurgencies rage. VACCINATING UNTIL END-2022? John Nkengasong, who heads the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, says it could take until the end of 2022 to vaccinate 60 per cent of the continent's 1.3 billion people. Take the task facing Mali, an impoverished country fighting an Islamist insurgency. It needs $14.7 million to deploy vaccines, including for gasoline, vaccine storage and training, according to an internal government vaccination plan seen by Reuters. The government will need funding support from the WHO, UNICEF, the GAVI vaccine alliance and the World Bank, the plan says. Those organisations are all looking to provide funding to African nations facing shortfalls. South Sudan, still racked by violence after a civil war ended in 2018, has seen COVID-19 infect at least 10,300 people and kill more than 100. It began distributing 132,000 vaccine doses from COVAX on April 7. However, authorities won't start administering shots outside the capital Juba and its surrounding county until May at the earliest, said Kawa Tong, a member of a COVID-19 steering committee that advises the government. "The key reason is the lack of funds for a rollout outside Juba. The transport of vaccines, training of health workers, community outreach - all these are tied to funding," Tong told Reuters. Adding to the difficulties, by May the rainy season will be well underway, cutting off transport links to large parts of the country, she said. The vast majority of the 11 million-strong population live outside Juba county. Atem Riek Anyom, director general for primary healthcare at South Sudan's health ministry, said the government had requested World Bank funding, adding that vaccines would soon be deployed across the country. "There's no challenge in regards to the vaccine rollout," he added. The World Bank, which has a $12 billion fund to help developing countries around the world buy and distribute vaccines, said it was reviewing requests from Mali and South Sudan. The bank said it has approved $2 billion to 17 countries, including seven in Africa: Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Tunisia, Rwanda and Gambia.

Cash-strapped Africa overwhelmed by COVID vaccine challenge

Gunshots rang out late on Friday in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, witnesses said, when government troops approached the home of the city's former police commander who was sacked for opposing a move by the president to extend his term.

The stand-off reveals splits within Somalia's security services that threaten to see forces turn on each other, creating an opportunity for the al Qaeda linked al Shabaab insurgency to exploit.

"Somalia's long-running political crisis has entered a new, dangerous phase," said the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think-tank, in a briefing note on Saturday.

"The opposition is said to be considering forming a parallel government; cracks have deepened in a security apparatus long divided along clan lines; and the president's opponents have vowed to resist extension of his rule."

Somalia, riven by civil war since 1991, is trying to rebuild with international help, but the path to stability has been obstructed by a political crisis caused by a failure to hold elections that were due in February.

On Monday, lawmakers extended President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's four year term by up to two years.

The resolution passed after then Mogadishu police chief Saadaq Omar Hassan announced parliament was suspended, triggering his sacking moments later.

Hassan retreated to his house in the Shirkole area of the city, which is guarded by 100 armed men who have been reinforced by clan fighters, his family and area residents said.

Calm returned after the burst of gunfire, but some Shirkole residents held street demonstrations in support of Hassan, burning tyres and shouting slogans against the president.

"If you are attacked, you have to defend yourself," said Mahad Mohamed Salad, a pro-Hassan lawmaker.

The government denied claims it wanted to attack Hassan.

"We have no interest attacking a civilian area where most inhabitants are children and women," interior security minister Hassan Hunbdubey said in an online address late Friday.

Donors, who have opposed the president's move to extend his term, fear the crisis could abet further attacks by Islamist al Shabaab militants, who have been trying for years to topple the government.

The militants on Friday killed Mohamed Abdi Hayle, the district commissioner for Hamarjajab on the edge of Mogadishu, the state news agency reported.

They also captured the Becaadweyn area of the central state of Galmudug without resistance on Thursday, after the Somali army left the area, residents said.

Gunshots rang out late on Friday in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, witnesses said, when government troops approached the home of the city's former police commander who was sacked for opposing a move by the president to extend his term.

Gunshots rang out late on Friday in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, witnesses said, when government troops approached the home of the city's former police commander who was sacked for opposing a move by the president to extend his term. The stand-off reveals splits within Somalia's security services that threaten to see forces turn on each other, creating an opportunity for the al Qaeda linked al Shabaab insurgency to exploit. "Somalia's long-running political crisis has entered a new, dangerous phase," said the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think-tank, in a briefing note on Saturday. "The opposition is said to be considering forming a parallel government; cracks have deepened in a security apparatus long divided along clan lines; and the president's opponents have vowed to resist extension of his rule." Somalia, riven by civil war since 1991, is trying to rebuild with international help, but the path to stability has been obstructed by a political crisis caused by a failure to hold elections that were due in February. On Monday, lawmakers extended President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's four year term by up to two years. The resolution passed after then Mogadishu police chief Saadaq Omar Hassan announced parliament was suspended, triggering his sacking moments later. Hassan retreated to his house in the Shirkole area of the city, which is guarded by 100 armed men who have been reinforced by clan fighters, his family and area residents said. Calm returned after the burst of gunfire, but some Shirkole residents held street demonstrations in support of Hassan, burning tyres and shouting slogans against the president. "If you are attacked, you have to defend yourself," said Mahad Mohamed Salad, a pro-Hassan lawmaker. The government denied claims it wanted to attack Hassan. "We have no interest attacking a civilian area where most inhabitants are children and women," interior security minister Hassan Hunbdubey said in an online address late Friday. Donors, who have opposed the president's move to extend his term, fear the crisis could abet further attacks by Islamist al Shabaab militants, who have been trying for years to topple the government. The militants on Friday killed Mohamed Abdi Hayle, the district commissioner for Hamarjajab on the edge of Mogadishu, the state news agency reported. They also captured the Becaadweyn area of the central state of Galmudug without resistance on Thursday, after the Somali army left the area, residents said.

Somali government troops face off with forces loyal to sacked police boss

Cape Verde, a bastion of democracy in Africa, held parliamentary polls Sunday with no clear winner in sight after a campaign dominated by the Covid pandemic and its impact on a tourism-dependent economy.

Neither of the two traditional major parties is predicted to emerge the outright winner, giving four smaller parties a chance to have their say over the group of islands off the west coast of Africa.

In the capital Praia, queues of voters began forming early in the day in front of schools serving as polling stations, AFP journalists said.

"The priority for me is to re-elect the government, fight Covid and develop the economy and tourism," said Luis Leit, 44, after voting.

With foreign tourism accounting for roughly a quarter of the economy and visitors unable to come owing to global pandemic restrictions, Cape Verde, with a population of 550,000, was plunged into a historic recession in 2020, when output shrank by 14.8 percent.

Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva nonetheless told reporters: "We are very confident. We hope to have an absolute majority."

But his Movement for Democracy (MpD) is being closely contested by the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), a socialist party led by Janira Hopffer Almada.&nbsp;

The 42-year-old lawyer and former youth minister hopes to become the first woman to lead the former Portuguese colony.

A supporter who presented himself as a jurist named Carla told AFP he wanted Almada to fight corruption, even if the country has a good reputation in that area.

After voting, Almada complained, "the state continued campaigning yesterday", (Saturday) after the official end of electioneering on Friday, calling it a "grave violation".

Virus surge despite isolation

Both major parties pledged measures to provide wide access to Covid-19 vaccinations and to diversify the economy.

Although it lies around 600 kilometres (375 miles) off the coast of Senegal, Cape Verde has witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases.

With 189 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the country had the highest rate in Africa according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for the period from April 5-11.

Voting began at 0800 GMT and polling stations were scheduled to remain open until 1900 GMT, with just over 392,000 people registered to vote.

In 1990, one-party rule in Cape Verde was swept away and the first multi-party elections were held the following year.

In 2016, the MpD ended the PAICV's 15-year run with a historic victory, gaining 40 of 72 seats in the single-chamber parliament, the National Assembly.

Cape Verde has a semi-parliamentary system in which the prime minister wields executive power while the president plays the part of arbitrator in the event of intractable disputes.

Elections for the presidency take place on October 17.&nbsp;

In a continent marked by political unrest, coups or monolithic rulers who have been in power for decades, the tiny Atlantic archipelago stands out.

It ranks just behind Mauritius as the most democratic country in sub-Saharan Africa in the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2020 Democracy Index.

Cape Verde, a bastion of democracy in Africa, held parliamentary polls Sunday with no clear winner in sight after a campaign dominated by the Covid pandemic and its impact on a tourism-dependent economy.

Cape Verde, a bastion of democracy in Africa, held parliamentary polls Sunday with no clear winner in sight after a campaign dominated by the Covid pandemic and its impact on a tourism-dependent economy. Neither of the two traditional major parties is predicted to emerge the outright winner, giving four smaller parties a chance to have their say over the group of islands off the west coast of Africa. In the capital Praia, queues of voters began forming early in the day in front of schools serving as polling stations, AFP journalists said. "The priority for me is to re-elect the government, fight Covid and develop the economy and tourism," said Luis Leit, 44, after voting. With foreign tourism accounting for roughly a quarter of the economy and visitors unable to come owing to global pandemic restrictions, Cape Verde, with a population of 550,000, was plunged into a historic recession in 2020, when output shrank by 14.8 percent. Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva nonetheless told reporters: "We are very confident. We hope to have an absolute majority." But his Movement for Democracy (MpD) is being closely contested by the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), a socialist party led by Janira Hopffer Almada. The 42-year-old lawyer and former youth minister hopes to become the first woman to lead the former Portuguese colony. A supporter who presented himself as a jurist named Carla told AFP he wanted Almada to fight corruption, even if the country has a good reputation in that area. After voting, Almada complained, "the state continued campaigning yesterday", (Saturday) after the official end of electioneering on Friday, calling it a "grave violation". Virus surge despite isolation Both major parties pledged measures to provide wide access to Covid-19 vaccinations and to diversify the economy. Although it lies around 600 kilometres (375 miles) off the coast of Senegal, Cape Verde has witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases. With 189 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the country had the highest rate in Africa according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for the period from April 5-11. Voting began at 0800 GMT and polling stations were scheduled to remain open until 1900 GMT, with just over 392,000 people registered to vote. In 1990, one-party rule in Cape Verde was swept away and the first multi-party elections were held the following year. In 2016, the MpD ended the PAICV's 15-year run with a historic victory, gaining 40 of 72 seats in the single-chamber parliament, the National Assembly. Cape Verde has a semi-parliamentary system in which the prime minister wields executive power while the president plays the part of arbitrator in the event of intractable disputes. Elections for the presidency take place on October 17. In a continent marked by political unrest, coups or monolithic rulers who have been in power for decades, the tiny Atlantic archipelago stands out. It ranks just behind Mauritius as the most democratic country in sub-Saharan Africa in the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2020 Democracy Index.

Voters go to the polls in Cape Verde, Africa's model of democracy

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,408,245 as of Saturday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the African Union (AU), said the death toll from the pandemic stood at 117,378, while 3,951,191 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-coronavirus-deaths-cross-3-million-as-countries-observe-surge-378265" hreflang="en">Global coronavirus deaths cross 3 million as countries observe surge</a>

South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are among the African countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC.

In terms of the number of cases, southern Africa is the most affected region, followed by northern Africa and eastern Africa regions, while central Africa is the least affected region in the continent, according to the African health agency.

South Africa has recorded 1,564,355 COVID-19 cases, the most among African countries.&nbsp;

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,408,245 as of Saturday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the African Union (AU), said the death toll from the pandemic stood at 117,378, while 3,951,191 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,408,245 as of Saturday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the African Union (AU), said the death toll from the pandemic stood at 117,378, while 3,951,191 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease. Also read | Global coronavirus deaths cross 3 million as countries observe surge South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are among the African countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC. In terms of the number of cases, southern Africa is the most affected region, followed by northern Africa and eastern Africa regions, while central Africa is the least affected region in the continent, according to the African health agency. South Africa has recorded 1,564,355 COVID-19 cases, the most among African countries.

Africa's confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 4.4 million

Scientists on Thursday confirmed the first clinical evidence of drug-resistant mutations of the parasite that leads to malaria making inroads in Africa.&nbsp;

There have been concerns for long about the emergence of such mutations across the continent which makes up for over 90 per cent of malaria deaths worldwide in 2019.&nbsp;

A new report published in The Lancet has confirmed these fears.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/science/sea-snail-venom-could-lead-to-new-treatments-for-severe-malaria-365446">Sea snail venom could lead to new treatments for severe Malaria</a>

According to the trials, the disease persisted longer in children who were receiving standard treatment for malaria if they were infected with mutant strains of the parasite.&nbsp;

Still, there is high efficacy of Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), but scientists insist on an "urgent need" for more monitoring in Rwanda, where the study was based as well in other neighbouring nations.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/gsk-to-move-malaria-vaccine-production-to-indias-bharat-biotech-359722">GSK to move malaria vaccine production to India's Bharat Biotech</a>

"Our study shows that resistant isolates are starting to become more common," lead author Aline Uwimana, a researcher at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre in Kigali was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

ACT's, introduced in the early 2000s, is one of the most common and widely used treatments for malaria.&nbsp;

In this treatment, the artemisinin component clears most of the pathogens from the infected body within three days and a long-acting partner drug kills the rest of the parasites.&nbsp;

If the artemisinin component doesn't work within three days, it means that the parasites have developed resistance to this.&nbsp;

Evidence from the Mekong region has proved that once artemisinin resistance becomes prevalent, resistance to the partner drug generally follows, causing the failure of ACT treatment.&nbsp;

(With agency inputs)

Scientists on Thursday confirmed the first clinical evidence of drug-resistant mutations of the parasite that leads to malaria making inroads in Africa. There have been concerns for long about the emergence of such mutations across the continent which makes up for over 90 per cent of malaria deaths worldwide in 2019.

Scientists on Thursday confirmed the first clinical evidence of drug-resistant mutations of the parasite that leads to malaria making inroads in Africa. There have been concerns for long about the emergence of such mutations across the continent which makes up for over 90 per cent of malaria deaths worldwide in 2019. A new report published in The Lancet has confirmed these fears. Also read | Sea snail venom could lead to new treatments for severe Malaria According to the trials, the disease persisted longer in children who were receiving standard treatment for malaria if they were infected with mutant strains of the parasite. Still, there is high efficacy of Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), but scientists insist on an "urgent need" for more monitoring in Rwanda, where the study was based as well in other neighbouring nations. Also read | GSK to move malaria vaccine production to India's Bharat Biotech "Our study shows that resistant isolates are starting to become more common," lead author Aline Uwimana, a researcher at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre in Kigali was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. ACT's, introduced in the early 2000s, is one of the most common and widely used treatments for malaria. In this treatment, the artemisinin component clears most of the pathogens from the infected body within three days and a long-acting partner drug kills the rest of the parasites. If the artemisinin component doesn't work within three days, it means that the parasites have developed resistance to this. Evidence from the Mekong region has proved that once artemisinin resistance becomes prevalent, resistance to the partner drug generally follows, causing the failure of ACT treatment. (With agency inputs)

Drug-resistant malaria making inroads in Africa: Study

An Egyptian court Sunday sentenced a man to eight years in prison for sexually harassing three minors and drug possession, in a case that sparked outrage on social media.

Ahmed Bassam Zaki, a former student of some of Egypt's most elite schools and the American University in Cairo, was sentenced to seven years in jail for sexually harassing three underage girls and one year for drug possession, a judicial source said.

He can appeal the verdict, the source added.

Zaki, who is in his 20s, had already been sentenced in December to three years in prison for sexually harassing two young women by Egypt's economic court, which tries cyber crimes.

The court found he had sent sexual photos to one of the women and repeatedly contacted the other without her consent.

Claims against Zaki emerged online last year in the form of testimonies -- many from classmates -- published by the Instagram account Assault Police.

They included an alleged rape and dozens of instances of assault against girls and women, some involving blackmail.

Zaki was arrested on July 4 and confessed to assaulting and blackmailing six complainants, one of whom was a minor.

The case revived a #MeToo campaign in Egypt, where women complain of rampant sexual harassment, a criminal offence since 2014.

United Nations surveys say most women in the conservative country have been subject to harassment ranging from catcalling to pinching and groping or worse.

An Egyptian court Sunday sentenced a man to eight years in prison for sexually harassing three minors and drug possession, in a case that sparked outrage on social media.

An Egyptian court Sunday sentenced a man to eight years in prison for sexually harassing three minors and drug possession, in a case that sparked outrage on social media. Ahmed Bassam Zaki, a former student of some of Egypt's most elite schools and the American University in Cairo, was sentenced to seven years in jail for sexually harassing three underage girls and one year for drug possession, a judicial source said. He can appeal the verdict, the source added. Zaki, who is in his 20s, had already been sentenced in December to three years in prison for sexually harassing two young women by Egypt's economic court, which tries cyber crimes. The court found he had sent sexual photos to one of the women and repeatedly contacted the other without her consent. Claims against Zaki emerged online last year in the form of testimonies -- many from classmates -- published by the Instagram account Assault Police. They included an alleged rape and dozens of instances of assault against girls and women, some involving blackmail. Zaki was arrested on July 4 and confessed to assaulting and blackmailing six complainants, one of whom was a minor. The case revived a #MeToo campaign in Egypt, where women complain of rampant sexual harassment, a criminal offence since 2014. United Nations surveys say most women in the conservative country have been subject to harassment ranging from catcalling to pinching and groping or worse.

Egypt jails man for 8 years in #MeToo case

Chadians voted in presidential elections Sunday with Idriss Deby Itno set to win a sixth term after three decades in power.

A key ally in the West's anti-jihadist campaign in the Sahel, Deby, 68, is the frontrunner in a six-candidate race without major rivals and after a campaign in which demonstrations were banned or dispersed.

The main question seems to be over turnout, after some members of the opposition called for a boycott of the election.

Speaking to journalists earlier Sunday as he cast his vote at a central polling station in the capital N'Djamena, Deby called "upon all men and women of Chad wherever they are to come out in force and vote".

There was a strong police and army presence across the city, while a lack of voting materials delayed opening at many polling stations visited by AFP.

Queueing to vote in the capital, a 25-year-old saleswoman named Bernadette told AFP she backed Deby because "thanks to him I am free to walk wherever I want, day or night, in total security".

In N'Djamena's Moursal district, seen as an opposition stronghold, one election official said they had had "only three voters since opening", standing beside a near-empty ballot box.&nbsp;

Apart from police and soldiers, the streets of N'Djamena were almost &nbsp;empty Sunday. One AFP journalist visited 10 voting stations in the capital mid-afternoon and failed to find a single voter.

"I don't vote, there's no candidate for me," said Mugabe, a motorbike taxi driver who said he scrapes by on the equivalent of three to five euros ($3.50-6.00) per day.

"Whether or not we vote, Deby will stay in power, so there's no point," he added.

An AFP journalist in Massaguet, 85 kilometres (50 miles) north of Niamey said polling stations there were also seeing little traffic.

By Sunday evening, voting stations had closed and counting was underway. Provisional results from the elections are scheduled for April 25, with the final results due on May 15.

- Candidates rejected -

Chad has struggled with poverty and instability since gaining independence from France in 1960. 
A former rebel and career soldier who seized power in a coup in 1990, Deby has twice, with French help, thwarted attempts to oust him.

Other candidates include Albert Pahimi Padacke, a former prime minister under Deby, and Felix Nialbe Romadoumngar -- officially "leader of the opposition" as his URD party has eight seats in the National Assembly.

But the Supreme Court rejected seven other candidates and three withdrew, including longtime opposition politician Saleh Kebzabo, who quit in protest over violence by the security forces.

Deby has campaigned on a promise of peace and security in a region that has been rocked by jihadist insurgencies. On Sunday, the government said two soldiers had been killed in a Thursday ambush in the Lake Chad region.

Some 7.3 million people are eligible to vote out of a population of 15 million, but the most critical opposition parties have urged voters to boycott the election.&nbsp;

Weekly protest marches urging a peaceful transfer of power have been banned or forcefully dispersed, while police and soldiers carried out a deadly raid at the home of a prominent would-be candidate, Yaya Dillo Djerou, in February.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres are among those who have voiced criticism.

- US watching -

The United States on Thursday urged Chad's election supervisors and courts "to ensure these elections are conducted freely, fairly, and transparently".

"We'll be watching in the days ahead," US State Department spokesman Ned Price warned.

Deby has also benefited, once again, from divisions and weaknesses within opposition ranks.

Kelma Manatouma, a Chad expert at the University of Paris-Nanterre, said that "with the considerable means Deby has mobilised, it is certain he will win."

Chad has been an oil producer since 2003, but it remains deeply poor.

In 2018, 42 percent of the population lived below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. In 2020, Chad ranked 187th out of 189 countries on the UN's Human Development Index.

Chadians voted in presidential elections Sunday with Idriss Deby Itno set to win a sixth term after three decades in power. A key ally in the West's anti-jihadist campaign in the Sahel, Deby, 68, is the frontrunner in a six-candidate race without major rivals and after a campaign in which demonstrations were banned or dispersed.

Chadians voted in presidential elections Sunday with Idriss Deby Itno set to win a sixth term after three decades in power. A key ally in the West's anti-jihadist campaign in the Sahel, Deby, 68, is the frontrunner in a six-candidate race without major rivals and after a campaign in which demonstrations were banned or dispersed. The main question seems to be over turnout, after some members of the opposition called for a boycott of the election. Speaking to journalists earlier Sunday as he cast his vote at a central polling station in the capital N'Djamena, Deby called "upon all men and women of Chad wherever they are to come out in force and vote". There was a strong police and army presence across the city, while a lack of voting materials delayed opening at many polling stations visited by AFP. Queueing to vote in the capital, a 25-year-old saleswoman named Bernadette told AFP she backed Deby because "thanks to him I am free to walk wherever I want, day or night, in total security". In N'Djamena's Moursal district, seen as an opposition stronghold, one election official said they had had "only three voters since opening", standing beside a near-empty ballot box. Apart from police and soldiers, the streets of N'Djamena were almost empty Sunday. One AFP journalist visited 10 voting stations in the capital mid-afternoon and failed to find a single voter. "I don't vote, there's no candidate for me," said Mugabe, a motorbike taxi driver who said he scrapes by on the equivalent of three to five euros ($3.50-6.00) per day. "Whether or not we vote, Deby will stay in power, so there's no point," he added. An AFP journalist in Massaguet, 85 kilometres (50 miles) north of Niamey said polling stations there were also seeing little traffic. By Sunday evening, voting stations had closed and counting was underway. Provisional results from the elections are scheduled for April 25, with the final results due on May 15. - Candidates rejected - Chad has struggled with poverty and instability since gaining independence from France in 1960. A former rebel and career soldier who seized power in a coup in 1990, Deby has twice, with French help, thwarted attempts to oust him. Other candidates include Albert Pahimi Padacke, a former prime minister under Deby, and Felix Nialbe Romadoumngar -- officially "leader of the opposition" as his URD party has eight seats in the National Assembly. But the Supreme Court rejected seven other candidates and three withdrew, including longtime opposition politician Saleh Kebzabo, who quit in protest over violence by the security forces. Deby has campaigned on a promise of peace and security in a region that has been rocked by jihadist insurgencies. On Sunday, the government said two soldiers had been killed in a Thursday ambush in the Lake Chad region. Some 7.3 million people are eligible to vote out of a population of 15 million, but the most critical opposition parties have urged voters to boycott the election. Weekly protest marches urging a peaceful transfer of power have been banned or forcefully dispersed, while police and soldiers carried out a deadly raid at the home of a prominent would-be candidate, Yaya Dillo Djerou, in February. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres are among those who have voiced criticism. - US watching - The United States on Thursday urged Chad's election supervisors and courts "to ensure these elections are conducted freely, fairly, and transparently". "We'll be watching in the days ahead," US State Department spokesman Ned Price warned. Deby has also benefited, once again, from divisions and weaknesses within opposition ranks. Kelma Manatouma, a Chad expert at the University of Paris-Nanterre, said that "with the considerable means Deby has mobilised, it is certain he will win." Chad has been an oil producer since 2003, but it remains deeply poor. In 2018, 42 percent of the population lived below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. In 2020, Chad ranked 187th out of 189 countries on the UN's Human Development Index.

Chad votes with 30-year ruler Deby poised for sixth win

Djibouti's veteran ruler Ismail Omar Guelleh said Friday he was "very confident" of securing a fifth term as president as voters went to the polls in the tiny but strategically important African nation.

Some 215,000 citizens are registered to vote in the ballot pitting Guelleh, 73, against a little-known businessman widely seen as posing scant threat to the strongman, in power since 1999.

Polling stations opened at 6:00 am (0300 GMT) across the arid Horn of Africa nation, which overlooks one of the world's busiest trade routes at the crossroads between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

After voting in the capital city, where most of Djibouti's one million people reside, Guelleh said he was "very, very confident" of victory and praised the trouble-free conduct of the electoral exercise.

"Now, we wait for the results," said the president, dressed in immaculate white traditional robes, after placing his vote in a transparent ballot box.

Voting closes at 7:00 pm and the results are expected by the evening.

Independent election observers said the process was rolling out smoothly, with no reports of misconduct, although polling stations noted that voters were in no particular rush to cast their ballots.

"So far, everything is going well and is calm," Ahmed Tidiane Souare, the head of an African Union (AU) observer mission, told reporters.

'My vote is useless'

Guelleh was the handpicked successor to his relative Hassan Gouled Aptidon, the country's first president after independence from France in 1977.

He faces just one challenger -- political newcomer Zakaria Ismail Farah -- after Djibouti's main opposition parties boycotted the election.

Farah, a 56-year-old cleaning products importer, cast doubt on the transparency of the voting process, saying his delegates were not present at polling stations.

"My vote is of no use, nor are the votes of 80 percent of the Djiboutian people," the opposition candidate told AFP in a text message. 
 
Souare, from the observer mission, said all candidates were free to send their officials to any polling station.&nbsp;

Farah, who had styled himself as the "flag bearer of poor Djiboutians", had alleged unfair treatment during the election campaign, including that he was not provided security at his rallies.

Guelleh, and his extended family, have controlled Djibouti with an iron fist since he was handed power. A rare wave of opposition protests in 2020 were brutally suppressed.

His predicted fifth term will be his last, under a 2010 constitutional reform that scrapped term limits while introducing an age limit of 75, which would lock him out of future elections.

Guelleh has clinched at least 75 percent of the vote in every presidential election he has contested, and urged voters to turn out in large numbers.

"I am always the first to vote. I am a Djiboutian, I have to vote," said 64-year-old Ahmed Abdillah Hadi after casting his ballot.

"I am with President Ismail. I voted for him, I love him."

The vote proceeded despite a surge in Covid-19 cases and infection rates, and few wore face masks as they

cheered Guelleh at a crowded final rally this week.

Stable and strategic

Under Guelleh, the country has exploited its geographical advantage, investing heavily in ports and logistics infrastructure.&nbsp;

In 2018, seeking to become a trade and logistics hub, the country launched the first phase of what will be Africa's biggest free-trade zone, financed by China.

Flanked by Somalia and opposite Yemen, Djibouti has remained stable in a volatile neighbourhood, drawing foreign military powers such as former colonial ruler France, the United States and China to establish bases there.

But the country has also seen an erosion of press freedom and a crackdown on dissent as it has courted foreign interest.

The country's economy shrank by one percent in 2020, but is expected to grow seven percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Djibouti's GDP per capita income is about $3,500, higher than much of sub-Saharan Africa, but some 20 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty and 26 percent are unemployed, according to the World Bank.

Djibouti's veteran ruler Ismail Omar Guelleh said Friday he was "very confident" of securing a fifth term as president as voters went to the polls in the tiny but strategically important African nation.

Djibouti's veteran ruler Ismail Omar Guelleh said Friday he was "very confident" of securing a fifth term as president as voters went to the polls in the tiny but strategically important African nation. Some 215,000 citizens are registered to vote in the ballot pitting Guelleh, 73, against a little-known businessman widely seen as posing scant threat to the strongman, in power since 1999. Polling stations opened at 6:00 am (0300 GMT) across the arid Horn of Africa nation, which overlooks one of the world's busiest trade routes at the crossroads between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. After voting in the capital city, where most of Djibouti's one million people reside, Guelleh said he was "very, very confident" of victory and praised the trouble-free conduct of the electoral exercise. "Now, we wait for the results," said the president, dressed in immaculate white traditional robes, after placing his vote in a transparent ballot box. Voting closes at 7:00 pm and the results are expected by the evening. Independent election observers said the process was rolling out smoothly, with no reports of misconduct, although polling stations noted that voters were in no particular rush to cast their ballots. "So far, everything is going well and is calm," Ahmed Tidiane Souare, the head of an African Union (AU) observer mission, told reporters. 'My vote is useless' Guelleh was the handpicked successor to his relative Hassan Gouled Aptidon, the country's first president after independence from France in 1977. He faces just one challenger -- political newcomer Zakaria Ismail Farah -- after Djibouti's main opposition parties boycotted the election. Farah, a 56-year-old cleaning products importer, cast doubt on the transparency of the voting process, saying his delegates were not present at polling stations. "My vote is of no use, nor are the votes of 80 percent of the Djiboutian people," the opposition candidate told AFP in a text message. Souare, from the observer mission, said all candidates were free to send their officials to any polling station. Farah, who had styled himself as the "flag bearer of poor Djiboutians", had alleged unfair treatment during the election campaign, including that he was not provided security at his rallies. Guelleh, and his extended family, have controlled Djibouti with an iron fist since he was handed power. A rare wave of opposition protests in 2020 were brutally suppressed. His predicted fifth term will be his last, under a 2010 constitutional reform that scrapped term limits while introducing an age limit of 75, which would lock him out of future elections. Guelleh has clinched at least 75 percent of the vote in every presidential election he has contested, and urged voters to turn out in large numbers. "I am always the first to vote. I am a Djiboutian, I have to vote," said 64-year-old Ahmed Abdillah Hadi after casting his ballot. "I am with President Ismail. I voted for him, I love him." The vote proceeded despite a surge in Covid-19 cases and infection rates, and few wore face masks as they cheered Guelleh at a crowded final rally this week. Stable and strategic Under Guelleh, the country has exploited its geographical advantage, investing heavily in ports and logistics infrastructure. In 2018, seeking to become a trade and logistics hub, the country launched the first phase of what will be Africa's biggest free-trade zone, financed by China. Flanked by Somalia and opposite Yemen, Djibouti has remained stable in a volatile neighbourhood, drawing foreign military powers such as former colonial ruler France, the United States and China to establish bases there. But the country has also seen an erosion of press freedom and a crackdown on dissent as it has courted foreign interest. The country's economy shrank by one percent in 2020, but is expected to grow seven percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Djibouti's GDP per capita income is about $3,500, higher than much of sub-Saharan Africa, but some 20 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty and 26 percent are unemployed, according to the World Bank.

Veteran ruler Guelleh confident of victory as Djibouti votes

Border clashes between&nbsp;Ethiopia's Afar and Somali regions have killed at least 100 people, a regional official said on Tuesday, the latest outbreak of violence ahead of national elections in June.

Around 100 civilians were killed since clashes broke out on Friday and continued through Tuesday, Ahmed Humed, deputy police commissioner for the Afar region, told Reuters by phone. He blamed the violence on an attack by Somali regional forces.

Ali Bedel, a spokesman for the Somali region, said 25 people had been killed on Friday and an “unknown number of civilians” died in a subsequent attack by the same forces on Tuesday.

Both sides deny having initiated the attacks and blame the other for the violence. Reuters could not verify whether the 25 deaths claimed by the Somali official were in addition to the 100 deaths or included in that figure.

Clashes along the border predate the six-month-old conflict in the north that has pitted the federal government against the former ruling party of the Tigray region.

Yet the violence has intensified just as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government is trying to assert control over Tigray - underscoring how the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner is struggling to keep the country together. The election is regarded as a litmus test for the country’s fragile unity, challenged by many newly resurgent regional and ethnically based parties.

"The Somali region special forces ... attacked the areas of Haruk and Gewane using heavy weapons including machinegun and rocket-propelled grenades. Children and women were killed while they were sleeping," Ahmed said.

In 2014 the boundary between the two states was redrawn by the federal government, then headed by a multi-ethnic ruling coalition, the&nbsp;Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Three small towns were transferred to Afar from Somali, which has since tried to win them back.

As a result militias from the two eastern states have clashed before over their disputed boundaries. In October last year 27 people were killed in a wave of clashes over the border, with each side blaming the other.

Border clashes between Ethiopia's Afar and Somali regions have killed at least 100 people, a regional official said on Tuesday, the latest outbreak of violence ahead of national elections in June.

Border clashes between Ethiopia's Afar and Somali regions have killed at least 100 people, a regional official said on Tuesday, the latest outbreak of violence ahead of national elections in June. Around 100 civilians were killed since clashes broke out on Friday and continued through Tuesday, Ahmed Humed, deputy police commissioner for the Afar region, told Reuters by phone. He blamed the violence on an attack by Somali regional forces. Ali Bedel, a spokesman for the Somali region, said 25 people had been killed on Friday and an “unknown number of civilians” died in a subsequent attack by the same forces on Tuesday. Both sides deny having initiated the attacks and blame the other for the violence. Reuters could not verify whether the 25 deaths claimed by the Somali official were in addition to the 100 deaths or included in that figure. Clashes along the border predate the six-month-old conflict in the north that has pitted the federal government against the former ruling party of the Tigray region. Yet the violence has intensified just as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government is trying to assert control over Tigray - underscoring how the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner is struggling to keep the country together. The election is regarded as a litmus test for the country’s fragile unity, challenged by many newly resurgent regional and ethnically based parties. "The Somali region special forces ... attacked the areas of Haruk and Gewane using heavy weapons including machinegun and rocket-propelled grenades. Children and women were killed while they were sleeping," Ahmed said. In 2014 the boundary between the two states was redrawn by the federal government, then headed by a multi-ethnic ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Three small towns were transferred to Afar from Somali, which has since tried to win them back. As a result militias from the two eastern states have clashed before over their disputed boundaries. In October last year 27 people were killed in a wave of clashes over the border, with each side blaming the other.

At least 100 killed in border clashes between Ethiopia's Somali and Afar regions: Official

The town in northern&nbsp;Mozambique&nbsp;that Islamic State-linked insurgents attacked late last month is now secure after the military killed a significant number of militants and cleared one final area, an army spokesman and a provincial official said.

"We have completed the clearing (of the town). It was the only sensitive area that we needed to clear. ... It is completely safe," army spokesman Chongo Vidigal said in comments broadcast by state TV channel TVM late on Sunday.

Armindo Ngunga, secretary of state for the Cabo Delgado province, told Reuters on Monday that the town of Palma was "under the control of the state".

"There was significant loss of human life, infrastructure destroyed. But people are safe now," Ngunga added.

Insurgents on March 24 attacked the coastal town of Palma, near natural gas projects worth $60 billion that are meant to transform&nbsp;Mozambique's economy.&nbsp;Mozambique's government says dozens died in the assault, and security sources say clashes continued outside the town as recently as Friday.

Reuters has not been able to verify the accounts from Palma independently. Most means of communication with the town were cut off after the attack began.

Footage taken by TVM in Palma showed a soldier covering a body lying in the street and burned buildings.

Vidigal said the facilities of French energy company Total near Palma were being protected, after sources told Reuters on Friday that Total had withdrawn all its staff as the militants appeared to be approaching.

A Total spokesman and&nbsp;Mozambique's defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.

Islamic State-linked insurgents have been increasingly active in Cabo Delgado since 2017, although it is unclear whether they have a unified aim.

Aid groups believe the latest attack displaced tens of thousands of people, many of whom fled into dense forest or escaped by boat. But the extent of the death and displacement is not yet clear, and many remain unaccounted for.

Survivors have recounted seeing bodies of others who died of hunger or dehydration while trying to escape.

&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

The town in northern Mozambique that Islamic State-linked insurgents attacked late last month is now secure after the military killed a significant number of militants and cleared one final area, an army spokesman and a provincial official said.

The town in northern Mozambique that Islamic State-linked insurgents attacked late last month is now secure after the military killed a significant number of militants and cleared one final area, an army spokesman and a provincial official said. "We have completed the clearing (of the town). It was the only sensitive area that we needed to clear. ... It is completely safe," army spokesman Chongo Vidigal said in comments broadcast by state TV channel TVM late on Sunday. Armindo Ngunga, secretary of state for the Cabo Delgado province, told Reuters on Monday that the town of Palma was "under the control of the state". "There was significant loss of human life, infrastructure destroyed. But people are safe now," Ngunga added. Insurgents on March 24 attacked the coastal town of Palma, near natural gas projects worth $60 billion that are meant to transform Mozambique's economy. Mozambique's government says dozens died in the assault, and security sources say clashes continued outside the town as recently as Friday. Reuters has not been able to verify the accounts from Palma independently. Most means of communication with the town were cut off after the attack began. Footage taken by TVM in Palma showed a soldier covering a body lying in the street and burned buildings. Vidigal said the facilities of French energy company Total near Palma were being protected, after sources told Reuters on Friday that Total had withdrawn all its staff as the militants appeared to be approaching. A Total spokesman and Mozambique's defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday. Islamic State-linked insurgents have been increasingly active in Cabo Delgado since 2017, although it is unclear whether they have a unified aim. Aid groups believe the latest attack displaced tens of thousands of people, many of whom fled into dense forest or escaped by boat. But the extent of the death and displacement is not yet clear, and many remain unaccounted for. Survivors have recounted seeing bodies of others who died of hunger or dehydration while trying to escape. (With inputs from agencies)

Mozambique army says town attacked by insurgents is now secure

More than 500 rape cases have been reported to five clinics in Ethiopia`s Tigray region, the United Nations said on Thursday, warning that the actual numbers were likely to be much higher due to stigma and a lack of health services. 
 
"Women say they have been raped by armed actors, they also told stories of gang rape, rape in front of family members and men being forced to rape their own family members under the threat of violence," Wafaa Said, deputy UN&nbsp;aid coordinator in Ethiopia, said in a briefing to UN&nbsp;member states in New York. 
 
She said at least 516 rape cases had been reported by five medical facilities in Mekelle, Adigrat, Wukro, Shire and Axum. 
 
"Given the fact that most health facilities are not functioning and also the stigma associated with rape, it is projected that actual numbers are much higher," she added. 
 
A dozen top UN&nbsp;officials called on Monday for a stop to indiscriminate and targeted attacks against civilians in Tigray, particularly calling out reports of rape and "other horrific forms of sexual violence." 
 
Fighting in Tigray broke out in November between government troops and the region`s former ruling party, the Tigray People`s Liberation Front. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has also said troops from neighboring Eritrea were in the region. 
 
The Ethiopian government takes the allegations of sexual violence "very seriously" and has deployed a fact-finding mission, Ethiopia`s UN&nbsp;ambassador, Taye Atskeselassie Amde, told Reuters. 
 
"Ethiopia has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual crimes and anyone found responsible for the despicable acts will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," he said. 
 
Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed and Eritrea`s information minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, did not respond to calls and messages requesting comment on the UN&nbsp;remarks on Thursday. 
 
The violence in Tigray has killed thousands of people and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes in the mountainous region of about 5 million. 
 
"Most of the internally displaced people left with nothing more than the clothes they were wearing. They are generally traumatized and tell stories of the difficult journey they took in search of safety. Some reported walking for two weeks and some as far as 500 km," Said said on Thursday. 
 
"Of the people who traveled with them, some were reportedly killed, particularly youngsters, people were reportedly beaten, women were subject to rape, some were pregnant and delivered on the way losing their babies," she said. 
 
The United Nations has raised concerns about atrocities, while US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described acts carried out as ethnic cleansing. Ethiopia rejected Blinken`s allegation. 
 
This week, Abiy acknowledged for the first time that atrocities such as rape had been committed and said any soldiers committing crimes would be punished. 
 
Dozens of witnesses in Tigray have told Reuters that Eritrean soldiers routinely killed civilians, gang-raped and tortured women and looted households and crops. Eritrea has not responded to queries on reports of atrocities.

More than 500 rape cases have been reported to five clinics in Ethiopia`s Tigray region, the United Nations said on Thursday, warning that the actual numbers were likely to be much higher due to stigma and a lack of health services.

More than 500 rape cases have been reported to five clinics in Ethiopia`s Tigray region, the United Nations said on Thursday, warning that the actual numbers were likely to be much higher due to stigma and a lack of health services. "Women say they have been raped by armed actors, they also told stories of gang rape, rape in front of family members and men being forced to rape their own family members under the threat of violence," Wafaa Said, deputy UN aid coordinator in Ethiopia, said in a briefing to UN member states in New York. She said at least 516 rape cases had been reported by five medical facilities in Mekelle, Adigrat, Wukro, Shire and Axum. "Given the fact that most health facilities are not functioning and also the stigma associated with rape, it is projected that actual numbers are much higher," she added. A dozen top UN officials called on Monday for a stop to indiscriminate and targeted attacks against civilians in Tigray, particularly calling out reports of rape and "other horrific forms of sexual violence." Fighting in Tigray broke out in November between government troops and the region`s former ruling party, the Tigray People`s Liberation Front. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has also said troops from neighboring Eritrea were in the region. The Ethiopian government takes the allegations of sexual violence "very seriously" and has deployed a fact-finding mission, Ethiopia`s UN ambassador, Taye Atskeselassie Amde, told Reuters. "Ethiopia has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual crimes and anyone found responsible for the despicable acts will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," he said. Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed and Eritrea`s information minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, did not respond to calls and messages requesting comment on the UN remarks on Thursday. The violence in Tigray has killed thousands of people and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes in the mountainous region of about 5 million. "Most of the internally displaced people left with nothing more than the clothes they were wearing. They are generally traumatized and tell stories of the difficult journey they took in search of safety. Some reported walking for two weeks and some as far as 500 km," Said said on Thursday. "Of the people who traveled with them, some were reportedly killed, particularly youngsters, people were reportedly beaten, women were subject to rape, some were pregnant and delivered on the way losing their babies," she said. The United Nations has raised concerns about atrocities, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described acts carried out as ethnic cleansing. Ethiopia rejected Blinken`s allegation. This week, Abiy acknowledged for the first time that atrocities such as rape had been committed and said any soldiers committing crimes would be punished. Dozens of witnesses in Tigray have told Reuters that Eritrean soldiers routinely killed civilians, gang-raped and tortured women and looted households and crops. Eritrea has not responded to queries on reports of atrocities.

Men forced to rape family members in Ethiopia's Tigray, UN says

Kenyan President Uhuru&nbsp;Kenyatta on Friday extended a nationwide overnight COVID-19 curfew for 60 days to battle a third wave of infections in East Africa's most developed economy.

Kenya, which has so far reported 111,935 positive cases and 1,901 deaths in total, registered 829 new infections on Thursday, the highest daily number since December.

In a televised address,&nbsp;Kenyatta said the positive test rate hit 13% in March compared to January's 2%.

"Unfortunately, it is still rising," he said.

Lockdowns and other restrictions to contain coronavirus contagion have stifled revenues and hampered growth in&nbsp;Kenya.

"Last year, fellow&nbsp;Kenyans, the&nbsp;Kenyan economy was projected to grow by 6.2%, but it only grew by 0.6% because of the COVID-19 pandemic,"&nbsp;Kenyatta said, adding that the economy was likely to bounce back and grow by approximately 7% in 2021.

"If we had not made the bold (lockdown) decisions of 2020..., our economy would, in 2021, have contracted by 15%."

Kenya&nbsp;plans to vaccinate 1.25 million people by June and another 9.6 million in the next phase. [nL5N2L31VA]

The ministry of health said this week that the country aims to inoculate about 15 million people nationwide, about 30% of the country's population, by the end of June 2023.

"Kenya&nbsp;is entering a critical phase in the management and control of the pandemic, with the arrival currently of World Health Organization-prequalified COVID-19 vaccines,"&nbsp;Kenyatta said.

Kenya&nbsp;began inoculating people last week with the vaccine produced by Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca.&nbsp;Kenyatta said the shot "has been tested and our own medical experts are persuaded that its safety profile is bankable."

European regulators have dismissed scattered reports of blood clots in people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine, but on Friday Thailand joined a handful of European countries in suspending use of the shot.

In other new measures to curb the spread of the virus,&nbsp;Kenyatta banned political gatherings for 30 days, ordered strict limits on attendance at church services and told bars and restaurants to close by 9 p.m.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday extended a nationwide overnight COVID-19 curfew for 60 days to battle a third wave of infections in East Africa's most developed economy.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday extended a nationwide overnight COVID-19 curfew for 60 days to battle a third wave of infections in East Africa's most developed economy. Kenya, which has so far reported 111,935 positive cases and 1,901 deaths in total, registered 829 new infections on Thursday, the highest daily number since December. In a televised address, Kenyatta said the positive test rate hit 13% in March compared to January's 2%. "Unfortunately, it is still rising," he said. Lockdowns and other restrictions to contain coronavirus contagion have stifled revenues and hampered growth in Kenya. "Last year, fellow Kenyans, the Kenyan economy was projected to grow by 6.2%, but it only grew by 0.6% because of the COVID-19 pandemic," Kenyatta said, adding that the economy was likely to bounce back and grow by approximately 7% in 2021. "If we had not made the bold (lockdown) decisions of 2020..., our economy would, in 2021, have contracted by 15%." Kenya plans to vaccinate 1.25 million people by June and another 9.6 million in the next phase. [nL5N2L31VA] The ministry of health said this week that the country aims to inoculate about 15 million people nationwide, about 30% of the country's population, by the end of June 2023. "Kenya is entering a critical phase in the management and control of the pandemic, with the arrival currently of World Health Organization-prequalified COVID-19 vaccines," Kenyatta said. Kenya began inoculating people last week with the vaccine produced by Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca. Kenyatta said the shot "has been tested and our own medical experts are persuaded that its safety profile is bankable." European regulators have dismissed scattered reports of blood clots in people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine, but on Friday Thailand joined a handful of European countries in suspending use of the shot. In other new measures to curb the spread of the virus, Kenyatta banned political gatherings for 30 days, ordered strict limits on attendance at church services and told bars and restaurants to close by 9 p.m.

Kenya extends nationwide COVID-19 curfew for two months

At least 20 people were killed and 24 others were injured in a clothing factory in Egypt on Thursday. The factory is located on the eastern outskirts of Egyptian capital Cairo, as per reports. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Twelve fire trucks were dispatched to extinguish the fire, said AFP quoting sources.

Egypt has had a string of fires in recent years, as shoddy buildings have been constructed without safety standards amid a security vacuum following its 2011 revolution.

Last month, a fire in an unlicensed shoe warehouse in the capital's twin city Giza engulfed a 13-storey building overlooking a major highway. Residents were evacuated but no casualties were reported.

In 2020, a major fire broke out next to a busy Cairo highway as a leak from an oil pipeline set ablaze by passing cars left 17 people hurt.

(With AFP inputs)

At least 20 people were killed and 24 others were injured in a clothing factory in Egypt on Thursday. The factory is located on the eastern outskirts of Egyptian capital Cairo, as per reports.

At least 20 people were killed and 24 others were injured in a clothing factory in Egypt on Thursday. The factory is located on the eastern outskirts of Egyptian capital Cairo, as per reports. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Twelve fire trucks were dispatched to extinguish the fire, said AFP quoting sources. Egypt has had a string of fires in recent years, as shoddy buildings have been constructed without safety standards amid a security vacuum following its 2011 revolution. Last month, a fire in an unlicensed shoe warehouse in the capital's twin city Giza engulfed a 13-storey building overlooking a major highway. Residents were evacuated but no casualties were reported. In 2020, a major fire broke out next to a busy Cairo highway as a leak from an oil pipeline set ablaze by passing cars left 17 people hurt. (With AFP inputs)

Egypt: At least 20 killed in clothing factory fire

At least five people have died in demonstrations sparked by the arrest of Ousmane Sonko, Senegal’s most prominent opposition leader. It is the worst political unrest in years in a country widely seen as one of West Africa’s most stable.

Situated in the western-most part of Africa, Senegal is a majority-Muslim nation with relatively low human development. It is witnessing the worst unrest in nearly a decade.&nbsp;

Sonko, who enjoys strong support among the young, was arrested after an employee of a beauty salon accused him of raping her. Sonko denies the allegation and says it is politically motivated.

His supporters say — the charges are politically motivated. They accuse Senegal’s president Macky Sall of trying to sideline and kill the political prospects of this leader in the 2024 general election.

The opposition Movement to Defend Democracy coalition, which called three days of nationwide protest starting from Monday, said the charges were politically motivated. It called on the Senegalese people “to pursue its mobilization and peaceful struggle by using all of its constitutional rights to reject the dictatorship of Macky Sall,” the country’s president.

Following his release, Sonko said at a news conference that the street protests would continue and state authorities must pay compensation to the families of those killed during the protests and the assailants had to be brought to justice.

Sonko said that "This mobilization must be maintained. It must even be much larger, but it must above all be peaceful. It must be peaceful. Today, the people have regained the right that Macky Sall confiscated nine years ago at the demonstration. The people have taken it back by force; we must not lose this right."

Political pressure has mounted on President Sall, whose presidency has been plagued by accusations that he unjustly torpedoes political rivals and worries that he may seek to extend his rule beyond his allotted two-term limit.

The economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a nightly curfew to contain its spread have only stoked frustrations.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least five people have died in demonstrations sparked by the arrest of Ousmane Sonko, Senegal’s most prominent opposition leader. It is the worst political unrest in years in a country widely seen as one of West Africa’s most stable.

At least five people have died in demonstrations sparked by the arrest of Ousmane Sonko, Senegal’s most prominent opposition leader. It is the worst political unrest in years in a country widely seen as one of West Africa’s most stable. Situated in the western-most part of Africa, Senegal is a majority-Muslim nation with relatively low human development. It is witnessing the worst unrest in nearly a decade. Sonko, who enjoys strong support among the young, was arrested after an employee of a beauty salon accused him of raping her. Sonko denies the allegation and says it is politically motivated. His supporters say — the charges are politically motivated. They accuse Senegal’s president Macky Sall of trying to sideline and kill the political prospects of this leader in the 2024 general election. The opposition Movement to Defend Democracy coalition, which called three days of nationwide protest starting from Monday, said the charges were politically motivated. It called on the Senegalese people “to pursue its mobilization and peaceful struggle by using all of its constitutional rights to reject the dictatorship of Macky Sall,” the country’s president. Following his release, Sonko said at a news conference that the street protests would continue and state authorities must pay compensation to the families of those killed during the protests and the assailants had to be brought to justice. Sonko said that "This mobilization must be maintained. It must even be much larger, but it must above all be peaceful. It must be peaceful. Today, the people have regained the right that Macky Sall confiscated nine years ago at the demonstration. The people have taken it back by force; we must not lose this right." Political pressure has mounted on President Sall, whose presidency has been plagued by accusations that he unjustly torpedoes political rivals and worries that he may seek to extend his rule beyond his allotted two-term limit. The economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a nightly curfew to contain its spread have only stoked frustrations. (With inputs from agencies)

Violence paralyses Senegal: Country witnessing the worst unrest in a decade

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