A number of ministers and high-ranking officers in Mali have been detained during apparent mutiny at a military base outside the Malian capital Bamako, sources told Sputnik Tuesday. 
 
According to witnesses, intense gunfire was heard from the Kati military base outside Bamako, where mutiny has purportedly taken place.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gunfire-heard-at-mali-army-base-as-embassy-warns-of-possible-mutiny-321481" hreflang="en">Gunfire heard at Mali army base as embassy warns of possible mutiny</a> 
 
One of the sources told Sputnik that Foreign Minister Tiebile Drame and Economy and Finance Minister Abdoulaye Daffe were detained by rebels and transported to an unknown location. 
 
A military source told Sputnik that the "capital Bamako has been surrounded to prevent any rebellion that might take place." 
 
Bamako’s authorities ordered that official buildings and embassies be shut and employees go home as the government remains on alert for a wider coup attempt.

(More details awaited)

A number of ministers and high-ranking officers in Mali have been detained during apparent mutiny at a military base outside the Malian capital Bamako, sources told Sputnik Tuesday.

A number of ministers and high-ranking officers in Mali have been detained during apparent mutiny at a military base outside the Malian capital Bamako, sources told Sputnik Tuesday. According to witnesses, intense gunfire was heard from the Kati military base outside Bamako, where mutiny has purportedly taken place. Also read: Gunfire heard at Mali army base as embassy warns of possible mutiny One of the sources told Sputnik that Foreign Minister Tiebile Drame and Economy and Finance Minister Abdoulaye Daffe were detained by rebels and transported to an unknown location. A military source told Sputnik that the "capital Bamako has been surrounded to prevent any rebellion that might take place." Bamako’s authorities ordered that official buildings and embassies be shut and employees go home as the government remains on alert for a wider coup attempt. (More details awaited)

Malian ministers, high-ranking officers detained in apparent mutiny

For half a century scientists feared that the Somali elephant shrew had vanished from the face of the Earth. No one had seen so much as a whisker.&nbsp;

But the tiny mammal with its probing trunk-like nose was quietly thriving in the arid, rocky landscape of the Horn of Africa, researchers said Tuesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/researchers-recently-found-microplastics-in-every-human-tissue-they-studied-321472" hreflang="en">Researchers recently found microplastics in every human tissue they studied</a>

The elusive, insect-eating creature is neither an elephant nor a shrew.&nbsp;It is a sengi -- a distant relation to aardvarks, elephants and manatees -- the size of a mouse, with powerful legs that allow it to run at speeds of nearly 30 kilometres (20 miles) an hour.

The Somali sengi has been lost to science since the 1970s, leaving just the 39 preserved specimens held in the world's natural history museums as the only physical evidence that it ever existed.

The Global Wildlife Conservation group even included it on its "25 most wanted lost species" list.&nbsp;

But during an expedition last year scientists found the animals still roaming the wild, discovering that the Somali sengi is not confined to Somalia at all.

The research mission was looking for different kinds of sengis in Djibouti, the small Horn of Africa coastal nation that borders Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea.&nbsp;

The team set up more than 1,250 traps filled with peanut butter, oatmeal and yeast extract in 12 areas in Djibouti, buoyed by speaking to local communities, where people could readily recognise the animals from photographs.

"Our interviews with local nomadic and pastoralist people indicated that they see sengis regularly and we were consistently told the same common name (Wali sandheer)," said Houssein Rayaleh, of Association Djibouti Nature, who was on the team. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The conservationist said he too had seen sengis during his 21 years doing fieldwork in the country.&nbsp;

But no one knew whether they were the long-lost Somali sengi.

"Without formal documentation, the species of the sengis in Djibouti was unknown," Rayaleh told AFP.&nbsp;

The team also included global elephant shrew expert Galen Rathburn, who had been studying the creatures for decades but had never seen a live Somali sengi, according to researcher Steven Heritage, of the Duke University Lemur Center.&nbsp;

"So when he opened the first trap and looked over at me, and he had seen the cute tufted furry tail of the animal and he looked at me and said 'I can't believe it, I've never seen one before'," Heritage told AFP. Rathbun died of cancer shortly after the expedition.&nbsp;

The researchers collected twelve specimens of the mammal.&nbsp;

Their findings prove that the Somali sengi "is currently extant" and lives far beyond the boundaries of Somalia, the researchers said in a study published in the journal PeerJ.&nbsp;

 
The team, which plans a new expedition to learn more about the species, believes the sengi could be living across Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia.

And while they cannot estimate the size of the population, they believe the sengi is thriving. &nbsp;

"All the local people knew about this, so it could not be rare in any way," said Heritage, the lead author of the study.&nbsp;

"And its habitats are not threatened by agriculture and human development, in a very arid environment where there is no foreseeable future for agriculture."

As a result, researchers recommended that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reappraise its classification for the Somali sengi on its list of vulnerable creatures, from "Data Deficient" to "Least Concern".&nbsp;

"Usually when we rediscover lost species, we find just one or two individuals and have to act quickly to try to prevent their imminent extinction," said Robin Moore of Global Wildlife Conservation.

Other species rediscovered in recent years include Jackson's climbing salamander in Guatemala, the Wallace's giant bee in Indonesia, and the silver-backed chevrotain -- a deer-like species the size of a rabbit -- in Vietnam.

Moore said this raises hope for those species still thought to be "lost", including the Ilin Island cloudrunner, a cloud rat from a single island in the Philippines.&nbsp;

For half a century scientists feared that the Somali elephant shrew had vanished from the face of the Earth. No one had seen so much as a whisker. But the tiny mammal with its probing trunk-like nose was quietly thriving in the arid, rocky landscape of the Horn of Africa, researchers said Tuesday.

For half a century scientists feared that the Somali elephant shrew had vanished from the face of the Earth. No one had seen so much as a whisker. But the tiny mammal with its probing trunk-like nose was quietly thriving in the arid, rocky landscape of the Horn of Africa, researchers said Tuesday. Also read: Researchers recently found microplastics in every human tissue they studied The elusive, insect-eating creature is neither an elephant nor a shrew. It is a sengi -- a distant relation to aardvarks, elephants and manatees -- the size of a mouse, with powerful legs that allow it to run at speeds of nearly 30 kilometres (20 miles) an hour. The Somali sengi has been lost to science since the 1970s, leaving just the 39 preserved specimens held in the world's natural history museums as the only physical evidence that it ever existed. The Global Wildlife Conservation group even included it on its "25 most wanted lost species" list. But during an expedition last year scientists found the animals still roaming the wild, discovering that the Somali sengi is not confined to Somalia at all. The research mission was looking for different kinds of sengis in Djibouti, the small Horn of Africa coastal nation that borders Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. The team set up more than 1,250 traps filled with peanut butter, oatmeal and yeast extract in 12 areas in Djibouti, buoyed by speaking to local communities, where people could readily recognise the animals from photographs. "Our interviews with local nomadic and pastoralist people indicated that they see sengis regularly and we were consistently told the same common name (Wali sandheer)," said Houssein Rayaleh, of Association Djibouti Nature, who was on the team. The conservationist said he too had seen sengis during his 21 years doing fieldwork in the country. But no one knew whether they were the long-lost Somali sengi. "Without formal documentation, the species of the sengis in Djibouti was unknown," Rayaleh told AFP. The team also included global elephant shrew expert Galen Rathburn, who had been studying the creatures for decades but had never seen a live Somali sengi, according to researcher Steven Heritage, of the Duke University Lemur Center. "So when he opened the first trap and looked over at me, and he had seen the cute tufted furry tail of the animal and he looked at me and said 'I can't believe it, I've never seen one before'," Heritage told AFP. Rathbun died of cancer shortly after the expedition. The researchers collected twelve specimens of the mammal. Their findings prove that the Somali sengi "is currently extant" and lives far beyond the boundaries of Somalia, the researchers said in a study published in the journal PeerJ. The team, which plans a new expedition to learn more about the species, believes the sengi could be living across Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia. And while they cannot estimate the size of the population, they believe the sengi is thriving. "All the local people knew about this, so it could not be rare in any way," said Heritage, the lead author of the study. "And its habitats are not threatened by agriculture and human development, in a very arid environment where there is no foreseeable future for agriculture." As a result, researchers recommended that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reappraise its classification for the Somali sengi on its list of vulnerable creatures, from "Data Deficient" to "Least Concern". "Usually when we rediscover lost species, we find just one or two individuals and have to act quickly to try to prevent their imminent extinction," said Robin Moore of Global Wildlife Conservation. Other species rediscovered in recent years include Jackson's climbing salamander in Guatemala, the Wallace's giant bee in Indonesia, and the silver-backed chevrotain -- a deer-like species the size of a rabbit -- in Vietnam. Moore said this raises hope for those species still thought to be "lost", including the Ilin Island cloudrunner, a cloud rat from a single island in the Philippines.

Long 'lost' elephant shrew found in Horn of Africa

Senior government officials held a meeting last weekend to find a lasting solution to the rising cases of teenage pregnancies in the country

Kenya: Alarm over rise in teen pregnancies during pandemic

Researchers claimed that there is a threat of suspension of the national immunization program globally due to severe health system shortages and physical disturbance measures to mitigate the ongoing ongoing COVID-19 epidemic.

Researchers: Routine childhood immunisation gets affected by COVID-19 in Africa

At least five people were killed Saturday in the town of Makeni in northern Sierra Leone, a police officer said, in rioting sparked by the relocation of a power plant.&nbsp;

The West African state had been planning to move the plant to the country's international airport near the capital Freetown, which is due to resume flights on Wednesday after a months-long hiatus. &nbsp;

But an initial attempt triggered a riot early Saturday.&nbsp;

Protesters attacked the offices of President Julius Maada Bio's political party in Makeni, witnesses said, while police fired live rounds and tear gas.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-offer-more-financial-support-for-flood-hit-areas-314343">Also read:&nbsp;China to offer more financial support for flood-hit areas</a>

A police official, who declined to be named, said that five people had been killed and 12 others seriously injured in the unrest.&nbsp;

A night-time curfew has been imposed on the town of some 110,000 people, the official added.

Sierra Leone's energy ministry released a statement blaming the unrest on "ill-motivated youths".

It said the international airport is "in dire need of electricity", and that the government had decided to relocate the power plant after consulting with officials in Makeni.&nbsp;

Makeni will continue to receive power supply from a nearby hydroelectric plant, the ministry added.&nbsp;

Relocation was only a stop-gap measure, according to the ministry, until engineers could repair faulty equipment at the airport.&nbsp;

Sierra Leone shut its international airport in March in a bid to stem coronavirus infections in the nation of some 7.5 million people.&nbsp;

The former British colony has registered 1,688 coronavirus cases to date, with 63 fatalities.

As with other poor countries in the region, coronavirus restrictions have taken an economic toll, spurring sporadic protests in Sierra Leone in May.

At least five people were killed Saturday in the town of Makeni in northern Sierra Leone, a police officer said, in rioting sparked by the relocation of a power plant.

At least five people were killed Saturday in the town of Makeni in northern Sierra Leone, a police officer said, in rioting sparked by the relocation of a power plant. The West African state had been planning to move the plant to the country's international airport near the capital Freetown, which is due to resume flights on Wednesday after a months-long hiatus. But an initial attempt triggered a riot early Saturday. Protesters attacked the offices of President Julius Maada Bio's political party in Makeni, witnesses said, while police fired live rounds and tear gas. Also read: China to offer more financial support for flood-hit areas A police official, who declined to be named, said that five people had been killed and 12 others seriously injured in the unrest. A night-time curfew has been imposed on the town of some 110,000 people, the official added. Sierra Leone's energy ministry released a statement blaming the unrest on "ill-motivated youths". It said the international airport is "in dire need of electricity", and that the government had decided to relocate the power plant after consulting with officials in Makeni. Makeni will continue to receive power supply from a nearby hydroelectric plant, the ministry added. Relocation was only a stop-gap measure, according to the ministry, until engineers could repair faulty equipment at the airport. Sierra Leone shut its international airport in March in a bid to stem coronavirus infections in the nation of some 7.5 million people. The former British colony has registered 1,688 coronavirus cases to date, with 63 fatalities. As with other poor countries in the region, coronavirus restrictions have taken an economic toll, spurring sporadic protests in Sierra Leone in May.

Several dead after riot in northern Sierra Leone

Coronavirus cases have surged passed 300,000 mark in South Africa and the country has now become a worse affected nation in the whole of Africa. Watch report.

South Africa struggles to control coronavirus: COVID-19 cases surpass 300,000 mark

Amid rising anti-government protests in the country,&nbsp;Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has announced the dissolution of the constitutional court on Saturday.

The decision came after the protestors in the country had been demanding resignation of the President over various allegations of corruption and for handling the country;s economy in a bad way.

The constitutional court had been the centre of debate almost for the pas three months after&nbsp;it overturned provisional results for a parliamentary poll, triggering protests in several cities in the African country's latest crisis.

"I have decided to repeal the licences of the remaining members of the constitutional court... this de facto dissolution of the court will enable us, from next week, to ask relevant authorities to nominate new members so that the reformed court can quickly help us find solutions to the disputes arising from the legislative elections," the president said in a television address.

The statement was issued after the&nbsp;Malian Prime Minister Boubou Cisse promised citizens to form an open government.&nbsp;"The president and I remain open to dialogue. I will very quickly set up an executive with the intention of being open to facing the challenges of the day," he said.

Amid rising anti-government protests in the country, Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has announced the dissolution of the constitutional court on Saturday.

Amid rising anti-government protests in the country, Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has announced the dissolution of the constitutional court on Saturday. The decision came after the protestors in the country had been demanding resignation of the President over various allegations of corruption and for handling the country;s economy in a bad way. The constitutional court had been the centre of debate almost for the pas three months after it overturned provisional results for a parliamentary poll, triggering protests in several cities in the African country's latest crisis. "I have decided to repeal the licences of the remaining members of the constitutional court... this de facto dissolution of the court will enable us, from next week, to ask relevant authorities to nominate new members so that the reformed court can quickly help us find solutions to the disputes arising from the legislative elections," the president said in a television address. The statement was issued after the Malian Prime Minister Boubou Cisse promised citizens to form an open government. "The president and I remain open to dialogue. I will very quickly set up an executive with the intention of being open to facing the challenges of the day," he said.

Mali President dissolves constitutional court; reformation process starts next week

Ethiopia recently lost one of its most popular singers - Haacaaluu Hundeessa. On June 29, Hundeessa was assassinated in the capital Addis Ababa. Since then, protests have been raging across the country.

He inspired a generation of Oromo - Ethiopia's largest, but marginalised ethnic group. His anthems became a rallying cry during protests that overthrew the previous government.

Members of the Oromo community blamed other ethnic groups for the killing. Ever since, the state of Oromo has been locked in a bloody ethnic conflict. Over 200 people are dead - mostly civilians.

Military's role?

Reports say that some of the killings were carried out by military wings with hardline political views. The consequence of the prime minister Abiy Ahmed's decision to send troops to stop the violence. Following the unrest - the government has arrested 3,500 people, including high-profile opposition leaders and members of his own ethnic group - the Oromo.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/arrests-follow-protests-that-killed-at-least-166-in-ethiopia-311068" hreflang="en">Arrests follow protests that killed at least 166 in Ethiopia</a>

Additionally, the internet has been cut off. Observers say - the crackdown was not just about ethnic clashes but also was a political cleansing to get rid of the opposition.

The Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed even appeared in military fatigues. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for ending a war and raising hopes of democratic change.

Violence and chaos

Now, Ethiopia is returning to violence and chaos. Ahmed was touted as a young, democratic leader.

Elected to office in 2018, he espoused an Ethiopian nationalism not defined by ethnicity. He said he will knit together the 80 nations within Ethiopia.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/ethiopia-protests-81-killed-in-violence-after-death-of-singer-military-deployed-310080" hreflang="en">Ethiopia protests: 81 killed in violence after death of singer; military deployed</a>

Under him, political prisoners were released, and those in exile were allowed to return. Additionally, freedom of the press was restored. However, some of the groups continue to inflict violence.&nbsp;Last year, Ahmed’s top advisor and the army chief were assassinated, warranting more military action.

According to human rights organisations, the military is still committing abuses.&nbsp;Many believe Ahmed may return to the strongman tactics so familiar in Ethiopia until his election.&nbsp;After his initial reforms, Ethiopia was hailed as the model democracy in Africa.

Since April 2018 - borders between Ethiopia's nine ethnic federal states have been the scene of deadly clashes. Over three million people have fled their homes.

This makes Ethiopia the country with the highest number of internally displaced people.

Ethiopia recently lost one of its most popular singers - Haacaaluu Hundeessa. On June 29, Hundeessa was assassinated in the capital Addis Ababa. Since then, protests have been raging across the country.

Ethiopia recently lost one of its most popular singers - Haacaaluu Hundeessa. On June 29, Hundeessa was assassinated in the capital Addis Ababa. Since then, protests have been raging across the country. He inspired a generation of Oromo - Ethiopia's largest, but marginalised ethnic group. His anthems became a rallying cry during protests that overthrew the previous government. Members of the Oromo community blamed other ethnic groups for the killing. Ever since, the state of Oromo has been locked in a bloody ethnic conflict. Over 200 people are dead - mostly civilians. Military's role? Reports say that some of the killings were carried out by military wings with hardline political views. The consequence of the prime minister Abiy Ahmed's decision to send troops to stop the violence. Following the unrest - the government has arrested 3,500 people, including high-profile opposition leaders and members of his own ethnic group - the Oromo. Also read: Arrests follow protests that killed at least 166 in Ethiopia Additionally, the internet has been cut off. Observers say - the crackdown was not just about ethnic clashes but also was a political cleansing to get rid of the opposition. The Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed even appeared in military fatigues. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for ending a war and raising hopes of democratic change. Violence and chaos Now, Ethiopia is returning to violence and chaos. Ahmed was touted as a young, democratic leader. Elected to office in 2018, he espoused an Ethiopian nationalism not defined by ethnicity. He said he will knit together the 80 nations within Ethiopia. Also read: Ethiopia protests: 81 killed in violence after death of singer; military deployed Under him, political prisoners were released, and those in exile were allowed to return. Additionally, freedom of the press was restored. However, some of the groups continue to inflict violence. Last year, Ahmed’s top advisor and the army chief were assassinated, warranting more military action. According to human rights organisations, the military is still committing abuses. Many believe Ahmed may return to the strongman tactics so familiar in Ethiopia until his election. After his initial reforms, Ethiopia was hailed as the model democracy in Africa. Since April 2018 - borders between Ethiopia's nine ethnic federal states have been the scene of deadly clashes. Over three million people have fled their homes. This makes Ethiopia the country with the highest number of internally displaced people.

Ethiopia returns to chaos and violence: Over 200 dead after popular singer's murder

When the new coronavirus hit Tanzania in mid-April, President John Magufuli called for three days of national prayer to seek God’s protection from the scourge. Barely a month later, he claimed victory over the disease and invited tourists to return to his East African nation.

His rush to reopen came despite alarm from the World Health Organization (WHO) over an almost total lack of information on the spread of the virus in the country of 55 million people, which has one of the region’s weakest healthcare systems.

The shortage of reliable data afflicts many African nations, with some governments reluctant to acknowledge epidemics or to expose their crumbling health systems to outside scrutiny. Other nations simply cannot carry out significant testing because they are so ravaged by poverty and conflict.

Sharing information is vital to tackling the pandemic in Africa – both for planning the response and mobilising donor funding - public health experts say. As things stand, it is impossible to gauge the full severity of the contagion across the continent.

According to the latest data collated by Reuters, Africa, with a population of 1.3 billion people, had over 493,000 confirmed cases and 11,600 deaths. By comparison, Latin America, with roughly half the population, had 2.9 million cases and 129,900 deaths.

The official numbers make it seem as though the illness has skirted much of Africa, but the real picture is certain to be worse, with WHO special envoy Samba Sow warning on May 25 of a possible "silent epidemic" if testing was not prioritised.

By July 7, 4,200 tests per million people had been carried out across the continent, according to a Reuters analysis of figures from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a body set up by the African Union in 2017. That compares with averages of 7,650 in Asia and 74,255 in Europe.

Interviews with dozens of health workers, diplomats and local officials revealed not just a scarcity of reliable testing in most countries, but also the lengths some governments have gone to prevent news of infection rates from emerging, even if that meant they missed out on donor funding.

"We cannot help a country against its own will," Michel Yao, head of emergency operations for the WHO in Africa, told Reuters. "In some countries, they are having meetings and not inviting us. We are supposed to be the main technical advisor." Yao declined to single out countries, saying the WHO needed to preserve a working relationship with governments.

TROUBLE IN TANZANIA

Tanzania confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 16. The next day, the government convened a task force to coordinate the response with international partners including the WHO, foreign embassies, donors and aid agencies, multiple sources said. 
This body never met again with outsiders, two foreign officials familiar with the situation told Reuters, while government officials failed to show up to dozens of subsequent coronavirus-related meetings, they said.

"It’s very clear the government does not want any information about the state of COVID in the country," said one aid official, who like many of those interviewed by Reuters for this story, asked not to be identified for fear of antagonizing political leaders.

Tanzania’s health minister Ummy Mwalimu and government spokesman did not respond to phone calls or emailed questions raised by this article about their handling of the crisis. The spokesman, Hassan Abbasi, has previously denied withholding information about the country’s epidemic.

Tanzania has not published nationwide figures since May 8, when it had recorded 509 cases and 21 deaths. Days earlier, President Magufuli dismissed testing kits imported from abroad as faulty, saying on national television that they had also returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw fruit.

According to three emails seen by Reuters sent between May 8-13, the WHO believed it had reached an agreement with the government to let it take part in joint surveillance missions around the country. However, a WHO spokeswoman said these were all cancelled on the day they were supposed to start, with no reason given.

Donors have released some $40 million to fund Tanzania’s coronavirus response, two diplomatic sources involved said. But the country’s lack of engagement meant it had missed out on "tens of millions of dollars" more, another official said.

By mid-May, the government decided to ease its lockdown, despite doctors and diplomats saying the outbreak was far from contained. The US Embassy warned its citizens on May 13 that hospitals in the main city Dar es Salaam were "overwhelmed", an assertion denied at the time by the Tanzanian government.

Tanzania’s failure to share information about its outbreak has frustrated its neighbours, who fear that gains won through painful lockdowns in their own countries could be jeopardized as Tanzanians cross porous borders.

The WHO organised a call on April 23 with African health ministers to discuss, among other things, a lack of information sharing, Yao said. He declined to say who was on the call, and Tanzania did not respond to requests for comment as to whether its minister participated.

The United Nations agency cannot compel cooperation and must tread carefully. When WHO officials expressed concern in late April about a lack of measures to contain the virus in Burundi, the tiny East African nation expelled its top representative and three other WHO experts without explanation on May 12.

Burundi was one of the first African countries to shut its borders in March, which seemed to slow the virus’ spread initially. But the country saw an uptick in suspected cases after rallies were held in the run-up to May 20 general elections, a health care provider said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Burundi’s 55-year-old president, Pierre Nkurunziza, died in early June amid speculation he had come down with COVID-19. The government said in a statement he had suffered a heart attack. An air ambulance service told Reuters it had flown his wife, Denise Bucumi, to Kenya on May 21 but declined to confirm reports in the Kenyan media that she had sought treatment for the coronavirus. A family spokesman declined to comment.

Burundi`s new president, Evariste Ndayishimiye, has promised measures to tackle the pandemic, including mass testing of people in areas suspected of being epicentres of the virus.

Another African state to fall out with the WHO was Equatorial Guinea. It hasn’t shared figures with the U.N. agency since late May, when its government accused the WHO of inflating the caseload and demanded that it recall its representative. The WHO blamed a "misunderstanding over data" and denied any falsification of figures.

Mitoha Ondo`o Ayekaba, Equatorial Guinea’s deputy health minister, did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the dispute. The Central African country has continued to provide periodic updates to the Africa CDC, which puts the number of confirmed cases there at 3,071 with 51 deaths.

SURVEILLANCE GAPS

While some countries won’t share information, others can’t: Their health systems are too broken to carry out any large-scale testing, surveillance or contact tracing.

"Even at the best of times, collecting quality data from countries is not easy because people are stretched thin," said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa CDC.?"Combine that with an emergency, and it becomes very, very difficult."

For example, Islamist militants and ethnic militias operate across vast swathes of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, making it impossible for governments there to establish a nationwide picture of the spread of the illness.

As in other countries, a shortage of kits has led Burkina Faso to largely limit the number of tests it conducts to contacts of confirmed cases and people arriving from abroad. This means there is little data on local transmission, health ministry reports show.

Some countries, like Cameroon and Nigeria, have decentralised testing, but many others have very little capacity outside their capitals, said Franck Ale, an epidemiologist with the international aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders).

Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation of 85 million that was already battling Ebola, was quick to suspend international flights and lock down parts of the capital Kinshasa when the virus hit in mid-March.

However, it took three months before the government was able to process tests outside Kinshasa, said Steve Ahuka, a member of Congo’s COVID-19 response committee, citing a lack of laboratories, equipment and personnel. In many areas, it still takes two weeks to get results, said two doctors.

South Africa, the continent’s most advanced economy, is one of the few to have rolled out mass testing. But it had a backlog of more than 63,000 unprocessed specimens as of June 10, because global suppliers were unable to meet its demand for laboratory kits, according to the health ministry. South Africa’s national laboratory service declined to disclose the current backlog.

In the absence of comprehensive testing data in other parts of the world, researchers look to different yardsticks to judge the prevalence of the coronavirus, including reviewing the number of deaths that exceed the average for the time of year.

But even that is not possible in most of Africa because data from previous years is lacking. Only eight countries - Algeria, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Egypt, Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles and South Africa - record more than 75% of their deaths, according to the United Nations. Ethiopia records less than 2%, the country’s health ministry said.

Without information about how severe an outbreak is and what resources are available to cope with it, nations risk lifting lockdowns too soon or maintaining them too long, said Amanda McClelland of the US-based health policy initiative Resolve to Save Lives.

"The big gap for us is really understanding the severity of the outbreak," she said. "Without clarity on data, it is very hard to justify the economic pain that shutting down countries causes." 
&nbsp;

When the new coronavirus hit Tanzania in mid-April, President John Magufuli called for three days of national prayer to seek God’s protection from the scourge. Barely a month later, he claimed victory over the disease and invited tourists to return to his East African nation.

When the new coronavirus hit Tanzania in mid-April, President John Magufuli called for three days of national prayer to seek God’s protection from the scourge. Barely a month later, he claimed victory over the disease and invited tourists to return to his East African nation. His rush to reopen came despite alarm from the World Health Organization (WHO) over an almost total lack of information on the spread of the virus in the country of 55 million people, which has one of the region’s weakest healthcare systems. The shortage of reliable data afflicts many African nations, with some governments reluctant to acknowledge epidemics or to expose their crumbling health systems to outside scrutiny. Other nations simply cannot carry out significant testing because they are so ravaged by poverty and conflict. Sharing information is vital to tackling the pandemic in Africa – both for planning the response and mobilising donor funding - public health experts say. As things stand, it is impossible to gauge the full severity of the contagion across the continent. According to the latest data collated by Reuters, Africa, with a population of 1.3 billion people, had over 493,000 confirmed cases and 11,600 deaths. By comparison, Latin America, with roughly half the population, had 2.9 million cases and 129,900 deaths. The official numbers make it seem as though the illness has skirted much of Africa, but the real picture is certain to be worse, with WHO special envoy Samba Sow warning on May 25 of a possible "silent epidemic" if testing was not prioritised. By July 7, 4,200 tests per million people had been carried out across the continent, according to a Reuters analysis of figures from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a body set up by the African Union in 2017. That compares with averages of 7,650 in Asia and 74,255 in Europe. Interviews with dozens of health workers, diplomats and local officials revealed not just a scarcity of reliable testing in most countries, but also the lengths some governments have gone to prevent news of infection rates from emerging, even if that meant they missed out on donor funding. "We cannot help a country against its own will," Michel Yao, head of emergency operations for the WHO in Africa, told Reuters. "In some countries, they are having meetings and not inviting us. We are supposed to be the main technical advisor." Yao declined to single out countries, saying the WHO needed to preserve a working relationship with governments. TROUBLE IN TANZANIA Tanzania confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 16. The next day, the government convened a task force to coordinate the response with international partners including the WHO, foreign embassies, donors and aid agencies, multiple sources said. This body never met again with outsiders, two foreign officials familiar with the situation told Reuters, while government officials failed to show up to dozens of subsequent coronavirus-related meetings, they said. "It’s very clear the government does not want any information about the state of COVID in the country," said one aid official, who like many of those interviewed by Reuters for this story, asked not to be identified for fear of antagonizing political leaders. Tanzania’s health minister Ummy Mwalimu and government spokesman did not respond to phone calls or emailed questions raised by this article about their handling of the crisis. The spokesman, Hassan Abbasi, has previously denied withholding information about the country’s epidemic. Tanzania has not published nationwide figures since May 8, when it had recorded 509 cases and 21 deaths. Days earlier, President Magufuli dismissed testing kits imported from abroad as faulty, saying on national television that they had also returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw fruit. According to three emails seen by Reuters sent between May 8-13, the WHO believed it had reached an agreement with the government to let it take part in joint surveillance missions around the country. However, a WHO spokeswoman said these were all cancelled on the day they were supposed to start, with no reason given. Donors have released some $40 million to fund Tanzania’s coronavirus response, two diplomatic sources involved said. But the country’s lack of engagement meant it had missed out on "tens of millions of dollars" more, another official said. By mid-May, the government decided to ease its lockdown, despite doctors and diplomats saying the outbreak was far from contained. The US Embassy warned its citizens on May 13 that hospitals in the main city Dar es Salaam were "overwhelmed", an assertion denied at the time by the Tanzanian government. Tanzania’s failure to share information about its outbreak has frustrated its neighbours, who fear that gains won through painful lockdowns in their own countries could be jeopardized as Tanzanians cross porous borders. The WHO organised a call on April 23 with African health ministers to discuss, among other things, a lack of information sharing, Yao said. He declined to say who was on the call, and Tanzania did not respond to requests for comment as to whether its minister participated. The United Nations agency cannot compel cooperation and must tread carefully. When WHO officials expressed concern in late April about a lack of measures to contain the virus in Burundi, the tiny East African nation expelled its top representative and three other WHO experts without explanation on May 12. Burundi was one of the first African countries to shut its borders in March, which seemed to slow the virus’ spread initially. But the country saw an uptick in suspected cases after rallies were held in the run-up to May 20 general elections, a health care provider said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Burundi’s 55-year-old president, Pierre Nkurunziza, died in early June amid speculation he had come down with COVID-19. The government said in a statement he had suffered a heart attack. An air ambulance service told Reuters it had flown his wife, Denise Bucumi, to Kenya on May 21 but declined to confirm reports in the Kenyan media that she had sought treatment for the coronavirus. A family spokesman declined to comment. Burundi`s new president, Evariste Ndayishimiye, has promised measures to tackle the pandemic, including mass testing of people in areas suspected of being epicentres of the virus. Another African state to fall out with the WHO was Equatorial Guinea. It hasn’t shared figures with the U.N. agency since late May, when its government accused the WHO of inflating the caseload and demanded that it recall its representative. The WHO blamed a "misunderstanding over data" and denied any falsification of figures. Mitoha Ondo`o Ayekaba, Equatorial Guinea’s deputy health minister, did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the dispute. The Central African country has continued to provide periodic updates to the Africa CDC, which puts the number of confirmed cases there at 3,071 with 51 deaths. SURVEILLANCE GAPS While some countries won’t share information, others can’t: Their health systems are too broken to carry out any large-scale testing, surveillance or contact tracing. "Even at the best of times, collecting quality data from countries is not easy because people are stretched thin," said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa CDC.?"Combine that with an emergency, and it becomes very, very difficult." For example, Islamist militants and ethnic militias operate across vast swathes of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, making it impossible for governments there to establish a nationwide picture of the spread of the illness. As in other countries, a shortage of kits has led Burkina Faso to largely limit the number of tests it conducts to contacts of confirmed cases and people arriving from abroad. This means there is little data on local transmission, health ministry reports show. Some countries, like Cameroon and Nigeria, have decentralised testing, but many others have very little capacity outside their capitals, said Franck Ale, an epidemiologist with the international aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation of 85 million that was already battling Ebola, was quick to suspend international flights and lock down parts of the capital Kinshasa when the virus hit in mid-March. However, it took three months before the government was able to process tests outside Kinshasa, said Steve Ahuka, a member of Congo’s COVID-19 response committee, citing a lack of laboratories, equipment and personnel. In many areas, it still takes two weeks to get results, said two doctors. South Africa, the continent’s most advanced economy, is one of the few to have rolled out mass testing. But it had a backlog of more than 63,000 unprocessed specimens as of June 10, because global suppliers were unable to meet its demand for laboratory kits, according to the health ministry. South Africa’s national laboratory service declined to disclose the current backlog. In the absence of comprehensive testing data in other parts of the world, researchers look to different yardsticks to judge the prevalence of the coronavirus, including reviewing the number of deaths that exceed the average for the time of year. But even that is not possible in most of Africa because data from previous years is lacking. Only eight countries - Algeria, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Egypt, Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles and South Africa - record more than 75% of their deaths, according to the United Nations. Ethiopia records less than 2%, the country’s health ministry said. Without information about how severe an outbreak is and what resources are available to cope with it, nations risk lifting lockdowns too soon or maintaining them too long, said Amanda McClelland of the US-based health policy initiative Resolve to Save Lives. "The big gap for us is really understanding the severity of the outbreak," she said. "Without clarity on data, it is very hard to justify the economic pain that shutting down countries causes."

In Africa, lack of coronavirus data raises fears of 'silent epidemic'

Kenyan police on Tuesday fired teargas and arrested activists gathering for a march against perceived government injustice that has been given extra impetus this year by allegations by rights groups of police brutality during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Activists said protesters from several areas had planned to march from their homes to the centre of the capital Nairobi, but many were dispersed or arrested before reaching there. Samuel Kiriro said six of his colleagues from rights group the Ghetto Foundation in the Mathare slum had been arrested.

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For those who made it into the city centre, police fired more teargas and made further arrests, a Reuters witness said.

Activists rally each year on July 7, marking the date in 1990 when opponents of late president Daniel Arap Moi launched a bid to open up multiparty politics. The protest is called "Saba Saba" - "seven seven" in Swahili - because of the date.

This year, protesters have been galvanised by mounting accusations of police brutality during the coronavirus lockdown.

"The police have been killing a lot of people ... During this pandemic, it has gotten worse," said Michael Njau, an activist at Kiamaiko Justice Centre.

Police were not immediately available to respond to multiple requests for comment.

Rights group Amnesty International said Kenyan police had killed at least 100 people in 2020, with 21 related to COVID infractions, such as curfew or mask violations. In March, in the first 10 days of the curfew, at least six people were killed, Human Rights Watch has said.

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Over the weekend, protesters in western Kenya set fire to a police station after an officer allegedly killed a hawker for selling fake hand sanitisers. The officer was taken into police custody, a police report seen by Reuters said.

Kenya police spokesman Charles Owino told Kenyan TV station NTV in June, responding to allegations of brutality, it was fair to highlight the issues "but it is also important for us to try and get results of investigations for each and every matter" to avoid setting the public against the police.

In April, President Uhuru Kenyatta said there had been "some challenges" in the initial stages, adding: "I want to apologise to all Kenyans maybe for some excesses that were conducted."

Kenyan police on Tuesday fired teargas and arrested activists gathering for a march against perceived government injustice that has been given extra impetus this year by allegations by rights groups of police brutality during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Kenyan police on Tuesday fired teargas and arrested activists gathering for a march against perceived government injustice that has been given extra impetus this year by allegations by rights groups of police brutality during the COVID-19 lockdown. Activists said protesters from several areas had planned to march from their homes to the centre of the capital Nairobi, but many were dispersed or arrested before reaching there. Samuel Kiriro said six of his colleagues from rights group the Ghetto Foundation in the Mathare slum had been arrested. Also read: Swarms of locusts devastate parts of northern Kenya For those who made it into the city centre, police fired more teargas and made further arrests, a Reuters witness said. Activists rally each year on July 7, marking the date in 1990 when opponents of late president Daniel Arap Moi launched a bid to open up multiparty politics. The protest is called "Saba Saba" - "seven seven" in Swahili - because of the date. This year, protesters have been galvanised by mounting accusations of police brutality during the coronavirus lockdown. "The police have been killing a lot of people ... During this pandemic, it has gotten worse," said Michael Njau, an activist at Kiamaiko Justice Centre. Police were not immediately available to respond to multiple requests for comment. Rights group Amnesty International said Kenyan police had killed at least 100 people in 2020, with 21 related to COVID infractions, such as curfew or mask violations. In March, in the first 10 days of the curfew, at least six people were killed, Human Rights Watch has said. Also read: Kenya court rejects China's multi-billion dollar BRI rail project Over the weekend, protesters in western Kenya set fire to a police station after an officer allegedly killed a hawker for selling fake hand sanitisers. The officer was taken into police custody, a police report seen by Reuters said. Kenya police spokesman Charles Owino told Kenyan TV station NTV in June, responding to allegations of brutality, it was fair to highlight the issues "but it is also important for us to try and get results of investigations for each and every matter" to avoid setting the public against the police. In April, President Uhuru Kenyatta said there had been "some challenges" in the initial stages, adding: "I want to apologise to all Kenyans maybe for some excesses that were conducted."

Kenyan police fire teargas, arrest marchers protesting at brutality

A leading opposition party representing Ethiopia's Oromo ethnic group said Monday that five senior members had been detained following violence last week that claimed at least 166 lives. 
 
The political crackdown deepens fears of a large-scale roundup of government critics as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed seeks to maintain control and keep a lid on simmering ethnic tensions and resentments. 
 
The opposition politicians from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) were seized by security forces in the capital, Addis Ababa, party chairman Dawud Ibsa told AFP. They include Chaltu Takkele and Gemmechu Ayana, senior political officers, and Kennesa Ayana, a member of the party's central committee. 
 
"We don't know why they were taken," Dawud said. "They were just simply sitting in their rooms and doing their jobs."

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Protests broke out in Addis Ababa and the surrounding Oromia region following the fatal shooting on June 29 of Hachalu Hundessa, a pop star whose songs channelled marginalisation among his Oromo ethnic group, Ethiopia's largest. 
 
An Oromia police official said late Saturday that 156 people had been killed across the region in the ensuing violence, including 11 members of the security forces. Ten additional deaths have been reported in Addis Ababa. 
 
Officials have attributed the deaths to a combination of lethal force by security officers and inter-ethnic violence. 
 
The situation in the capital has been calm since Friday, though a nationwide internet blackout remained in effect Monday for a seventh consecutive day. 
 
Abiy, who won last year's Nobel Peace Prize in part for opening up Ethiopia's political space, lifted a ban on the OLF shortly after he assumed office in 2018.&nbsp;

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But the OLF's Dawud said some senior members of his party had been arrested numerous times since then and held for extended periods -- several months in some cases -- without ever seeing a courtroom, a tactic common under previous Ethiopian leaders. 
 
"It's the continuation of the past and we don't know why it's happening," he said. 
 
The OLF is not the only party to be targeted in recent days. During last week's unrest officials also detained Jawar Mohammed and Bekele Gerba from the Oromo Federalist Congress, as well as Eskinder Nega, a longtime government critic who has recently spoken out against government policies he argues favour Oromos. 
 
All three men appeared briefly in court last week. 
 
In addition, officials on Friday detained Yilkal Getnet, chairman of the opposition Ethiopian National Movement Party, for reasons that remain unclear, according to Girma Bekele, vice chairman of the Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council, a consortium of more than 100 parties. 
 
"I for one do not think Yilkal has any involvement with recent unrest. He believes in a peaceful, legal struggle," Girma told AFP.

A leading opposition party representing Ethiopia's Oromo ethnic group said Monday that five senior members had been detained following violence last week that claimed at least 166 lives.

A leading opposition party representing Ethiopia's Oromo ethnic group said Monday that five senior members had been detained following violence last week that claimed at least 166 lives. The political crackdown deepens fears of a large-scale roundup of government critics as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed seeks to maintain control and keep a lid on simmering ethnic tensions and resentments. The opposition politicians from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) were seized by security forces in the capital, Addis Ababa, party chairman Dawud Ibsa told AFP. They include Chaltu Takkele and Gemmechu Ayana, senior political officers, and Kennesa Ayana, a member of the party's central committee. "We don't know why they were taken," Dawud said. "They were just simply sitting in their rooms and doing their jobs." Also read: Ethiopia protests: 81 killed in violence after death of singer; military deployed Protests broke out in Addis Ababa and the surrounding Oromia region following the fatal shooting on June 29 of Hachalu Hundessa, a pop star whose songs channelled marginalisation among his Oromo ethnic group, Ethiopia's largest. An Oromia police official said late Saturday that 156 people had been killed across the region in the ensuing violence, including 11 members of the security forces. Ten additional deaths have been reported in Addis Ababa. Officials have attributed the deaths to a combination of lethal force by security officers and inter-ethnic violence. The situation in the capital has been calm since Friday, though a nationwide internet blackout remained in effect Monday for a seventh consecutive day. Abiy, who won last year's Nobel Peace Prize in part for opening up Ethiopia's political space, lifted a ban on the OLF shortly after he assumed office in 2018. Also read: At least 52 killed in Ethiopia protests over singer's death But the OLF's Dawud said some senior members of his party had been arrested numerous times since then and held for extended periods -- several months in some cases -- without ever seeing a courtroom, a tactic common under previous Ethiopian leaders. "It's the continuation of the past and we don't know why it's happening," he said. The OLF is not the only party to be targeted in recent days. During last week's unrest officials also detained Jawar Mohammed and Bekele Gerba from the Oromo Federalist Congress, as well as Eskinder Nega, a longtime government critic who has recently spoken out against government policies he argues favour Oromos. All three men appeared briefly in court last week. In addition, officials on Friday detained Yilkal Getnet, chairman of the opposition Ethiopian National Movement Party, for reasons that remain unclear, according to Girma Bekele, vice chairman of the Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council, a consortium of more than 100 parties. "I for one do not think Yilkal has any involvement with recent unrest. He believes in a peaceful, legal struggle," Girma told AFP.

Arrests follow protests that killed at least 166 in Ethiopia

Exposure to modernization is bringing uncertainties to the lifestyle of many traditional tribes on the African continent. In the first part of a new series "Tribes in a Flux" by CGTN Africa, members of the Samburu tribe in Kenya shared their feelings about their culture and the changes modern elements have brought to their people.

Africa: Kenya's Samburu tribe adapts to new age

Hundreds of elephants have died mysteriously in Botswana's famed Okavango Delta, the wildlife department said Thursday.

The officials ruled out poaching as the tusks were found intact.

The landlocked southern African country has the world's largest elephant population, estimated to be around 130,000.

Samples have been collected and sent to specialised laboratories in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada for testing.

Similar deaths were first reported in May when authorities found 12 carcasses in just a week in two villages in the northwest of the country.&nbsp;

The latest discoveries were flagged by a wildlife conservation charity,&nbsp;Elephants Without Borders (EWB), whose confidential report referring to the 356 dead elephants, was leaked to the media on Wednesday.

EWB suspects the elephants have been dying in the area for about three months.

According to the report dated June 19, 2020, "70 per cent of elephant carcasses were considered recent, having died about a month ago, and 30 per cent of the carcasses appeared fresh, ranging from one day to two weeks old".

There was good evidence to show elephants of all ages and sex appear to be dying, the report said.

Several live elephants appeared to have been weak, lethargic and emaciated, with some showing signs of disorientation, difficulty in walking or limping, EWB said.

Botswana has an overpopulation of elephants which President Mokgweetsi Masisi has flagged as the source for much of the human-animal conflict in the country.

Hundreds of elephants have died mysteriously in Botswana's famed Okavango Delta, the wildlife department said Thursday. The officials ruled out poaching as the tusks were found intact.

Hundreds of elephants have died mysteriously in Botswana's famed Okavango Delta, the wildlife department said Thursday. The officials ruled out poaching as the tusks were found intact. The landlocked southern African country has the world's largest elephant population, estimated to be around 130,000. Samples have been collected and sent to specialised laboratories in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada for testing. Similar deaths were first reported in May when authorities found 12 carcasses in just a week in two villages in the northwest of the country. The latest discoveries were flagged by a wildlife conservation charity, Elephants Without Borders (EWB), whose confidential report referring to the 356 dead elephants, was leaked to the media on Wednesday. EWB suspects the elephants have been dying in the area for about three months. According to the report dated June 19, 2020, "70 per cent of elephant carcasses were considered recent, having died about a month ago, and 30 per cent of the carcasses appeared fresh, ranging from one day to two weeks old". There was good evidence to show elephants of all ages and sex appear to be dying, the report said. Several live elephants appeared to have been weak, lethargic and emaciated, with some showing signs of disorientation, difficulty in walking or limping, EWB said. Botswana has an overpopulation of elephants which President Mokgweetsi Masisi has flagged as the source for much of the human-animal conflict in the country.

More than 350 elephants mysteriously die in Botswana

The branches on trees around Kenya's northern town of Lodwar have been stripped bare of leaves, bending downwards under the weight of voracious young locusts.

Numbers of locusts exploded in East Africa and the Red Sea region in late 2019, exacerbated by atypical weather patterns amplified by climate change. Swarms of insects flew west from Yemen, and this year reached Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.

The new generation has hatched in Turkana, Kenya's poorest region. The young locusts are eating everything in sight, and when their wings mature the swarms will be able to travel up to 130 kilometres (80 miles) in a day.&nbsp;

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The hatchings have occurred as crops are planted in a region where 20 million people struggle for food.&nbsp;

"The locusts have come to destabilise an already bad situation," said Daniel Kirura, head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Turkana.

Kirura fears the swarms will spread quickly and said teams are working frantically to spray them with insecticide before they become airborne.&nbsp;

"Within one week they may mature to swarms that may fly away," Kirura said. "Our wish is to control them before they leave Turkana."

Turkana is a vast, dry scrubland in northwest Kenya that borders Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia. Residents say the insects are devastating farmland and grazing areas.&nbsp;

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"These things that jump up and down came here two days ago and have eaten all the trees," said Michael, near Turkana's capital Lodwar. "They have even finished grass for the goats."

Residents are beating tin drums to scare away the insects.

"They have destroyed our maize, pawpaw tree," Christopher Lotit told Reuters. "So because they do not want noise, we use noise to get rid of them."

The branches on trees around Kenya's northern town of Lodwar have been stripped bare of leaves, bending downwards under the weight of voracious young locusts. Numbers of locusts exploded in East Africa and the Red Sea region in late 2019, exacerbated by atypical weather patterns amplified by climate change.

The branches on trees around Kenya's northern town of Lodwar have been stripped bare of leaves, bending downwards under the weight of voracious young locusts. Numbers of locusts exploded in East Africa and the Red Sea region in late 2019, exacerbated by atypical weather patterns amplified by climate change. Swarms of insects flew west from Yemen, and this year reached Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. The new generation has hatched in Turkana, Kenya's poorest region. The young locusts are eating everything in sight, and when their wings mature the swarms will be able to travel up to 130 kilometres (80 miles) in a day. Also read: Locusts crisis: India sends 20,000 litres of pesticide to Iran The hatchings have occurred as crops are planted in a region where 20 million people struggle for food. "The locusts have come to destabilise an already bad situation," said Daniel Kirura, head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Turkana. Kirura fears the swarms will spread quickly and said teams are working frantically to spray them with insecticide before they become airborne. "Within one week they may mature to swarms that may fly away," Kirura said. "Our wish is to control them before they leave Turkana." Turkana is a vast, dry scrubland in northwest Kenya that borders Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia. Residents say the insects are devastating farmland and grazing areas. Also read: Pakistan battles locusts by turning them into chicken feed "These things that jump up and down came here two days ago and have eaten all the trees," said Michael, near Turkana's capital Lodwar. "They have even finished grass for the goats." Residents are beating tin drums to scare away the insects. "They have destroyed our maize, pawpaw tree," Christopher Lotit told Reuters. "So because they do not want noise, we use noise to get rid of them."

Swarms of locusts devastate parts of northern Kenya

Chad's government on Monday denied allegations that 44 men who died in a prison in April were not Boko Haram jihadists but civilians who suffocated in a scorching, overcrowded cell.

The government of the semi-desert nation, insisted the prisoners were members of the Nigerian Islamist group that has staged attacks in several sub-Saharan countries.

On Saturday, the Chadian Convention for Human Rights (CTDDH),&nbsp;said the 58 men imprisoned were "farmers and villagers who were arbitrarily arrested ... on last-minute instructions."

The CTDDH said 44 of 58 prisoners died after being held in a windowless cell measuring 6 metres by 3 metres (19 feet by 10 feet).

Despite temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), they were not given food or water, it said.&nbsp;

But Justice Minister Djimet Arabi told AFP on Monday: "We will not give credence to a report that does not correspond to reality at all."&nbsp;

Officials at one point said the men had committed mass suicide and that traces of poison had been found in their bodies.

But the CTDDH said the Chadian authorities had committed several "exactions" and routinely executed Boko Haram suspects.

All the men were captured during a major army operation around Lake Chad launched by President Idriss Deby Itno early in April.

That operation came in response to the deaths of 98 Chadian soldiers in a March 23 attack on a base at Bohoma, in the Lake Chad marshlands -- the worst one-day loss their army has ever suffered.

President Idriss Deby Itno said Boko Haram militants were chased out of the country in the operation carried out between March 31 and April 8.

A Chadian army spokesman said at least 52 soldiers and 1,000 jihadists were killed during the operation.

Chad's government on Monday denied allegations that 44 men who died in a prison in April were not Boko Haram jihadists but civilians who suffocated in a scorching, overcrowded cell.

Chad's government on Monday denied allegations that 44 men who died in a prison in April were not Boko Haram jihadists but civilians who suffocated in a scorching, overcrowded cell. The government of the semi-desert nation, insisted the prisoners were members of the Nigerian Islamist group that has staged attacks in several sub-Saharan countries. On Saturday, the Chadian Convention for Human Rights (CTDDH), said the 58 men imprisoned were "farmers and villagers who were arbitrarily arrested ... on last-minute instructions." The CTDDH said 44 of 58 prisoners died after being held in a windowless cell measuring 6 metres by 3 metres (19 feet by 10 feet). Despite temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), they were not given food or water, it said. But Justice Minister Djimet Arabi told AFP on Monday: "We will not give credence to a report that does not correspond to reality at all." Officials at one point said the men had committed mass suicide and that traces of poison had been found in their bodies. But the CTDDH said the Chadian authorities had committed several "exactions" and routinely executed Boko Haram suspects. All the men were captured during a major army operation around Lake Chad launched by President Idriss Deby Itno early in April. That operation came in response to the deaths of 98 Chadian soldiers in a March 23 attack on a base at Bohoma, in the Lake Chad marshlands -- the worst one-day loss their army has ever suffered. President Idriss Deby Itno said Boko Haram militants were chased out of the country in the operation carried out between March 31 and April 8. A Chadian army spokesman said at least 52 soldiers and 1,000 jihadists were killed during the operation.

Chad denies claims 44 Boko Haram suspects suffocated to death

Malawi's President Peter Mutharika on Saturday said this week's general election re-run was marred by "irregularities", as unofficial tallies showed him losing to the opposition leader.

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Voters in the southern African country went to the polls on Tuesday after the Constitutional Court scrapped the initial May 2019 presidential poll due to mass fraud.

Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has called on Malawi's Electoral Commission (MEC) to annul the results of the second vote and declare a third election.

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"We expected an election without irregularities," Mutharika told reporters in the second city of Blantyre on Saturday.

"Sadly, as all Malawians have seen, this election is the worst in Malawi's history of our elections."

The president said DPP monitors were "hacked, abducted and intimidated" and therefore unable to verify tally sheets.

"We believe most of the results that were sent to MEC are not a true reflection of the people," Mutharika added.

However, he did not echo his party's calls for another re-run.

Unofficial tallies compiled by public broadcaster MBC gave opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera a dominant 60 percent lead, with the incumbent Mutharika trailing on 39 percent.

DPP administrative secretary Francis Mphepo in a statement highlighted "several incidents that may potentially affect the integrity and credibility of the presidential election results".

The DPP listed polling stations from which their monitors were allegedly excluded and said more than 1.5 million votes had been marred by "violence and intimidation".

"There is no doubt that these irregularities and malpractices will substantially affect the results in one way or another," Mphepo continued.

"We therefore seek... a declaration that the presidential election has been inconclusive."

MEC spokesman Sangwani Mwafulirwa did not immediately respond to the DPP's accusations.

"The commission is looking into the complaint and will give a determination soon," Mwafulirwa told reporters at a briefing on Saturday.

Political analyst Henry Chingaipe dismissed Mutharika's allegations as "total fabrication".

"These are the kicks of a dying horse," he said.&nbsp;

"In the history of this country, there has been no election as transparent as this, especially in the management of results."&nbsp;

Mutharika, in power since 2014, won 38.5 percent of last year's discredited vote in which Chakwera garnered 35.4 percent.

In February, Malawi's top court found the first election was marred by widespread irregularities, including the use of correction fluid to tamper with result sheets.

The landmark ruling made Malawi just the second country south of the Sahara to have presidential poll results set aside, after Kenya in 2017.

Victory in the rerun will be determined by whoever garners more than 50 percent of the votes -- a new threshold set by the court.

Some 6.8 million people were asked to choose between Mutharika, Chakwera and an underdog candidate, Peter Dominico Kuwani.

The MEC has until July 3 to unveil the outcome, although the announcement is thought likely to come later on Saturday.

Results from 80 percent of Malawi's 28 districts have been tallied and verified so far.

Mutharika did not mention whether he would concede defeat, although his party has threatened to reject the outcome of the vote.&nbsp;

"He is in denial, he has always been in denial. But reality will catch up with him soon," said Gift Trapence of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition, which led months of street protests against last year's election results.

Chingaipe highly doubted the possibility of a second re-run.

"The only way to get a fresh election is to make a compelling case in the High Court," said Chingaipe, who heads the Malawi-based Institute for Policy Research and Social Empowerment.

"It is an uphill task, almost impossible, to build a credible case in court," he told AFP. "The circus is over. There will be no such a thing as a fresh election."

Malawi's President Peter Mutharika on Saturday said this week's general election re-run was marred by "irregularities", as unofficial tallies showed him losing to the opposition leader.

Malawi's President Peter Mutharika on Saturday said this week's general election re-run was marred by "irregularities", as unofficial tallies showed him losing to the opposition leader. Also read: Singapore heads for snap controversial elections despite coronavirus pandemic Voters in the southern African country went to the polls on Tuesday after the Constitutional Court scrapped the initial May 2019 presidential poll due to mass fraud. Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has called on Malawi's Electoral Commission (MEC) to annul the results of the second vote and declare a third election. Also read: Will infighting within Nepal's ruling party bring down the KP Oli government? "We expected an election without irregularities," Mutharika told reporters in the second city of Blantyre on Saturday. "Sadly, as all Malawians have seen, this election is the worst in Malawi's history of our elections." The president said DPP monitors were "hacked, abducted and intimidated" and therefore unable to verify tally sheets. "We believe most of the results that were sent to MEC are not a true reflection of the people," Mutharika added. However, he did not echo his party's calls for another re-run. Unofficial tallies compiled by public broadcaster MBC gave opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera a dominant 60 percent lead, with the incumbent Mutharika trailing on 39 percent. DPP administrative secretary Francis Mphepo in a statement highlighted "several incidents that may potentially affect the integrity and credibility of the presidential election results". The DPP listed polling stations from which their monitors were allegedly excluded and said more than 1.5 million votes had been marred by "violence and intimidation". "There is no doubt that these irregularities and malpractices will substantially affect the results in one way or another," Mphepo continued. "We therefore seek... a declaration that the presidential election has been inconclusive." MEC spokesman Sangwani Mwafulirwa did not immediately respond to the DPP's accusations. "The commission is looking into the complaint and will give a determination soon," Mwafulirwa told reporters at a briefing on Saturday. Political analyst Henry Chingaipe dismissed Mutharika's allegations as "total fabrication". "These are the kicks of a dying horse," he said. "In the history of this country, there has been no election as transparent as this, especially in the management of results." Mutharika, in power since 2014, won 38.5 percent of last year's discredited vote in which Chakwera garnered 35.4 percent. In February, Malawi's top court found the first election was marred by widespread irregularities, including the use of correction fluid to tamper with result sheets. The landmark ruling made Malawi just the second country south of the Sahara to have presidential poll results set aside, after Kenya in 2017. Victory in the rerun will be determined by whoever garners more than 50 percent of the votes -- a new threshold set by the court. Some 6.8 million people were asked to choose between Mutharika, Chakwera and an underdog candidate, Peter Dominico Kuwani. The MEC has until July 3 to unveil the outcome, although the announcement is thought likely to come later on Saturday. Results from 80 percent of Malawi's 28 districts have been tallied and verified so far. Mutharika did not mention whether he would concede defeat, although his party has threatened to reject the outcome of the vote. "He is in denial, he has always been in denial. But reality will catch up with him soon," said Gift Trapence of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition, which led months of street protests against last year's election results. Chingaipe highly doubted the possibility of a second re-run. "The only way to get a fresh election is to make a compelling case in the High Court," said Chingaipe, who heads the Malawi-based Institute for Policy Research and Social Empowerment. "It is an uphill task, almost impossible, to build a credible case in court," he told AFP. "The circus is over. There will be no such a thing as a fresh election."

Malawi president says vote re-run flawed as results expected

Africa's first human trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine began in South Africa on Wednesday, June 24.

Spearheaded by the Oxford University, in partnership with the local University of the Witwatersrand, it consists of 2,000 volunteers falling in the age bracket of 18-65. This pool of volunteers includes a few HIV+ patients, subject to monitoring over the next 12 months.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-director-tedros-expects-world-to-hit-10-million-coronavirus-cases-next-week-308347">WHO director Tedros expects world to hit 10 million coronavirus cases next wee</a>k

"Once 60% of the population, especially the adult population, becomes immune, we expect that effective reproductive rate to go under 1, which basically means the virus will still be around, it will still circulate, but its chain of transmission has been interrupted," said Shabir Madhi, trial head, and professor of Vaccinology at Wits University.

Oxford's global vaccine

Outside of the United Kingdom, South Africa is second country after Brazil to take part in Oxford’s trials.&nbsp;Oxford’s vaccine is called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, also known as AZD1222.&nbsp;Scientists from Oxford are currently working with AstraZeneca to improve the pace of development and production.

<h6><img alt="A volunteer receives an injection from a medical worker during the country's first human clinical trial for a potential vaccine against the novel coronavirus, at the Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, South Africa, June 24, 2020. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="31b4c91b-929a-47b1-a046-7e768bb12f8a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-8_2.jpg" /> 
A volunteer receives an injection from a medical worker during the country's first human clinical trial for a potential vaccine against the novel coronavirus, at the Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, South Africa, June 24, 2020 | Reuters</h6>

 
The United Kingdom currently has 4,000 participants enrolled for the study. In a university statement released on Wednesday, it was announced that an additional 10,000 participants will join the trials.

Stretching it further, the United States plans to conduct an additional study which will have over 30,000 participants.

South Africa currently has the most infections on the African continent, with over 100,000 cases and 2,000 deaths. The country had begun to ease its lockdown recently.

Taken advantage of

Historically, big pharmaceutical companies have taken advantage of the minimal monitoring in Africa, using human subjects as guinea pigs, putting their lives at risk.

"I feel a little bit scared, but I want to know what is going on with this vaccine so that I can tell my friends and others," Junior Mhlongo, a volunteer who received the vaccine at a hospital in Johannesburg, told Reuters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/theres-a-country-where-thousands-havent-even-heard-of-coronavirus-308208" hreflang="en">There's a country where thousands haven't even heard of coronavirus!</a>

No vaccine has been successfully curated yet, but over a dozen are under development, with over 100 being tested on humans.

According to the World Health Organization, Africa could become the next epicentre of the pandemic. This could be catastrophic as many countries in the region lack healthcare and are concurrently dealing with other outbreaks, including the more fatal Ebola.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Africa's first human trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine began in South Africa on Wednesday, June 24. Spearheaded by the Oxford University, in partnership with the local University of the Witwatersrand, it consists of 2,000 volunteers falling in the age bracket of 18-65.

Africa's first human trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine began in South Africa on Wednesday, June 24. Spearheaded by the Oxford University, in partnership with the local University of the Witwatersrand, it consists of 2,000 volunteers falling in the age bracket of 18-65. This pool of volunteers includes a few HIV+ patients, subject to monitoring over the next 12 months. Also read: WHO director Tedros expects world to hit 10 million coronavirus cases next week "Once 60% of the population, especially the adult population, becomes immune, we expect that effective reproductive rate to go under 1, which basically means the virus will still be around, it will still circulate, but its chain of transmission has been interrupted," said Shabir Madhi, trial head, and professor of Vaccinology at Wits University. Oxford's global vaccine Outside of the United Kingdom, South Africa is second country after Brazil to take part in Oxford’s trials. Oxford’s vaccine is called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, also known as AZD1222. Scientists from Oxford are currently working with AstraZeneca to improve the pace of development and production. A volunteer receives an injection from a medical worker during the country's first human clinical trial for a potential vaccine against the novel coronavirus, at the Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, South Africa, June 24, 2020 | Reuters The United Kingdom currently has 4,000 participants enrolled for the study. In a university statement released on Wednesday, it was announced that an additional 10,000 participants will join the trials. Stretching it further, the United States plans to conduct an additional study which will have over 30,000 participants. South Africa currently has the most infections on the African continent, with over 100,000 cases and 2,000 deaths. The country had begun to ease its lockdown recently. Taken advantage of Historically, big pharmaceutical companies have taken advantage of the minimal monitoring in Africa, using human subjects as guinea pigs, putting their lives at risk. "I feel a little bit scared, but I want to know what is going on with this vaccine so that I can tell my friends and others," Junior Mhlongo, a volunteer who received the vaccine at a hospital in Johannesburg, told Reuters. Also read: There's a country where thousands haven't even heard of coronavirus! No vaccine has been successfully curated yet, but over a dozen are under development, with over 100 being tested on humans. According to the World Health Organization, Africa could become the next epicentre of the pandemic. This could be catastrophic as many countries in the region lack healthcare and are concurrently dealing with other outbreaks, including the more fatal Ebola. (With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

South Africa begins continent's pilot coronavirus vaccine trial

Authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo's southeastern mining heartland are boosting efforts to tackle child labour amid concerns that the coronavirus pandemic could drive more families to put their children to work in mines, officials said.

Congo is Africa's main producer of copper and the top global source of cobalt, accounting for two-thirds of global supplies of the metal used in smartphones and electric car batteries.

Mining accounts for 32% of Congo's national output and the economy has been hard hit by the pandemic, which has slowed demand for metals and other raw materials.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/congo-court-sentences-presidents-chief-of-staff-to-20-years-in-prison-307337" hreflang="en">Congo court sentences president's chief of staff to 20 years in prison</a>

The slump means mining workers are earning a fraction of what they did before the outbreak, and are more likely to take their children to work, according to activists and academics.

"Economic activity has been paralysed during this health crisis and this will have a negative impact on parents' income," said Mathieu Kazembe Sawana Ilunga, the official who oversees the economy and industry in the southeastern Lualaba province.

"But this must not be used as justification for the presence of children in mines," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Tens of thousands of children as young as six work without protective gear in artisanal mines in the country's southeast, according to rights groups including Amnesty International.

About 15% of children aged 5 to 17 across Congo are engaged in child labour - with most doing dangerous work - a 2019 report by the National Institute of Statistics found.

Children in Congo are permitted by law to work from the age of 16 if they are deemed fit to do so by labour inspectors.

Nathalie Lunda Ngandu, the official in charge of social affairs, gender and family issues in Lualaba, said she shared the concerns of activists about a rise in child labour at mines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/congo-reports-fresh-ebola-outbreak-three-weeks-before-plans-to-proclaim-the-country-disease-free-302415" hreflang="en">Congo reports fresh Ebola outbreak three weeks before plans to proclaim the country disease-free</a>

Authorities will address the soaring cost of basic necessities, raise awareness in communities and at mining sites, and improve monitoring systems for child labour, Ngandu said.

Congo launched new monitoring and tracing mechanisms in 2018 to tackle child labour in mineral production. They apply both to artisanal mines and operations run by large mining companies.

"We will also spearhead two major activities with elected representatives and traditional and local authorities so they get involved ... in the fight against the worst forms of child labour, particularly in the context of COVID-19," Ngandu added.

Together, Lualaba and neighbouring Haut-Katanga account for nearly all of Congo's output of cobalt. Exports fell by 15.2% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period last year.&nbsp;

Roger-Claude Liwanga - a researcher at Harvard University who has studied child labour in Congolese mines - said authorities were "often in denial" about child miners, and urged them to distribute free food to prevent the practice worsening.

Civil society groups this month said many mines were forcing workers to stay on site - to avoid coronavirus outbreaks - and providing insufficient food and water and inadequate housing, while protective equipment and hygiene measures were lacking.&nbsp;

Congo has so far confirmed about 5,925 cases and 135 deaths.

Authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo's southeastern mining heartland are boosting efforts to tackle child labour amid concerns that the coronavirus pandemic could drive more families to put their children to work in mines, officials said.

Authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo's southeastern mining heartland are boosting efforts to tackle child labour amid concerns that the coronavirus pandemic could drive more families to put their children to work in mines, officials said. Congo is Africa's main producer of copper and the top global source of cobalt, accounting for two-thirds of global supplies of the metal used in smartphones and electric car batteries. Mining accounts for 32% of Congo's national output and the economy has been hard hit by the pandemic, which has slowed demand for metals and other raw materials. Also read: Congo court sentences president's chief of staff to 20 years in prison The slump means mining workers are earning a fraction of what they did before the outbreak, and are more likely to take their children to work, according to activists and academics. "Economic activity has been paralysed during this health crisis and this will have a negative impact on parents' income," said Mathieu Kazembe Sawana Ilunga, the official who oversees the economy and industry in the southeastern Lualaba province. "But this must not be used as justification for the presence of children in mines," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Tens of thousands of children as young as six work without protective gear in artisanal mines in the country's southeast, according to rights groups including Amnesty International. About 15% of children aged 5 to 17 across Congo are engaged in child labour - with most doing dangerous work - a 2019 report by the National Institute of Statistics found. Children in Congo are permitted by law to work from the age of 16 if they are deemed fit to do so by labour inspectors. Nathalie Lunda Ngandu, the official in charge of social affairs, gender and family issues in Lualaba, said she shared the concerns of activists about a rise in child labour at mines. Also read: Congo reports fresh Ebola outbreak three weeks before plans to proclaim the country disease-free Authorities will address the soaring cost of basic necessities, raise awareness in communities and at mining sites, and improve monitoring systems for child labour, Ngandu said. Congo launched new monitoring and tracing mechanisms in 2018 to tackle child labour in mineral production. They apply both to artisanal mines and operations run by large mining companies. "We will also spearhead two major activities with elected representatives and traditional and local authorities so they get involved ... in the fight against the worst forms of child labour, particularly in the context of COVID-19," Ngandu added. Together, Lualaba and neighbouring Haut-Katanga account for nearly all of Congo's output of cobalt. Exports fell by 15.2% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period last year. Roger-Claude Liwanga - a researcher at Harvard University who has studied child labour in Congolese mines - said authorities were "often in denial" about child miners, and urged them to distribute free food to prevent the practice worsening. Civil society groups this month said many mines were forcing workers to stay on site - to avoid coronavirus outbreaks - and providing insufficient food and water and inadequate housing, while protective equipment and hygiene measures were lacking. Congo has so far confirmed about 5,925 cases and 135 deaths.

Congo officials vow to tackle child labour at mines as virus threatens spike

Health workers toiling on the frontline across Africa say they are facing rising infections, shortages of protective equipment and growing strains as they battle the coronavirus.&nbsp;

Here is a look at the key countries:

South Africa&nbsp;

South Africa's health ministry says more than 2,000 practitioners have contracted the virus and at least 17 have died from it.&nbsp;

Around 80 percent of the infections have been in Western Cape Province -- home to second-largest city Cape Town and site of the country's worst hotspot.&nbsp;

A doctor working at a government clinic in Cape Town's Khayelitsha township told AFP that medics were struggling with delays in protective gear and intense mental stress.&nbsp;

"Your colleagues are getting infected, a colleague's death is something that will hit anyone," the doctor said, on condition of anonymity as she was not authorised to speak to the press. &nbsp;

"If you are in a war zone and a fellow soldier gets shot and you are forced the next day to go into the same war zone with that memory -- that's sort of the burden."&nbsp;

The medic said there had been a "great effort" to ensure adequate supplies of protective equipment but delays meant that carers could not always get the right size or type.&nbsp;

Regional union boss Gerald Lotriet said since April there had been six work stoppages in Western Cape as up to 7,000 staff downed tools over unsafe hospital conditions.&nbsp;

"I heard some nurses say to me if I had known about COVID, I would have rather joined the army," province chairman for the Hospital Public Servants Association, told AFP.&nbsp;

"One said if you are in the army and somebody told you there is a bomb, you would run away from it and in our situation we are being told we have to run towards it."

Members of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa are even planning to take at least one hospital to court for exposing its workers, said general secretary Cassim Lekhoathi.&nbsp;

"Both the private and public sectors are delinquents in that they have procured PPEs (protective equipment), but on the ground these things are not available," he told AFP.&nbsp;

"It is really disturbing that our members have to resort to a strike and that's the last thing we would want to see happening during a pandemic."

Nigeria&nbsp;

Africa's most populous country has seen over 800 infections among medical staff and at least 11 deaths, according to figures from its national disease control agency.&nbsp;

Resident doctors in poorly funded state hospitals on Monday began an indefinite strike -- sparked in part by complaints over inadequate protective gear.&nbsp;

The Nigerian Medical Association, the umbrella body for all health workers, says its members are not being equipped properly for the threat.&nbsp;

"We are like an endangered species. Our members are daily facing the risks of infection because of inadequate provision of PPEs," a top union official told AFP.

He complained that medical personnel had faced harassment from security forces as they tried to do their jobs amid coronavirus restrictions.&nbsp;

"In Lagos, some health workers were even detained by the police for allegedly violating the curfew," he said.

Another major concern is that the country appears to be rapidly running out of bed space in isolation wards as the number of infections continues to mount.&nbsp;

Chikwe Ihekweazu, head of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, insisted that the authorities were doing all they could to ensure enough protective kits.

He said 16,000 health workers had been trained to deal with the virus and officials were now looking to let infected people stay home rather than have to isolate in state-run facilities.&nbsp;

"The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a peculiar challenge to health systems across the world," Ihekweazu told AFP.

"We are still learning a lot."

Kenya&nbsp;

Healthcare representatives say they are seeing the number of coronavirus cases grow among those working in the sector.

Dr Chibanzi Mwachonda, acting Secretary General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union, said most infections are among medics at hospitals not handling COVID-19.

In the majority of cases, workers are being exposed during emergency and theatre cases on patients being handled for other ailments, only to be found to be positive.

Medics from various regions have held protests in recent weeks over the lack of gear and hazard pay, including at the country's two largest facilities handling coronavirus.&nbsp;

While the strikes ended quickly after the authorities moved fast to address grievances, they exposed what critics say are major inadequacies in the graft-ridden sector.&nbsp;

The government insists it will use some of the $2 billion emergency funding it has received from lenders and donors to make sure it has the "requisite equipment, supplies and medical personnel".

Health workers toiling on the frontline across Africa say they are facing rising infections, shortages of protective equipment and growing strains as they battle the coronavirus.

Health workers toiling on the frontline across Africa say they are facing rising infections, shortages of protective equipment and growing strains as they battle the coronavirus. Here is a look at the key countries: South Africa South Africa's health ministry says more than 2,000 practitioners have contracted the virus and at least 17 have died from it. Around 80 percent of the infections have been in Western Cape Province -- home to second-largest city Cape Town and site of the country's worst hotspot. A doctor working at a government clinic in Cape Town's Khayelitsha township told AFP that medics were struggling with delays in protective gear and intense mental stress. "Your colleagues are getting infected, a colleague's death is something that will hit anyone," the doctor said, on condition of anonymity as she was not authorised to speak to the press. "If you are in a war zone and a fellow soldier gets shot and you are forced the next day to go into the same war zone with that memory -- that's sort of the burden." The medic said there had been a "great effort" to ensure adequate supplies of protective equipment but delays meant that carers could not always get the right size or type. Regional union boss Gerald Lotriet said since April there had been six work stoppages in Western Cape as up to 7,000 staff downed tools over unsafe hospital conditions. "I heard some nurses say to me if I had known about COVID, I would have rather joined the army," province chairman for the Hospital Public Servants Association, told AFP. "One said if you are in the army and somebody told you there is a bomb, you would run away from it and in our situation we are being told we have to run towards it." Members of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa are even planning to take at least one hospital to court for exposing its workers, said general secretary Cassim Lekhoathi. "Both the private and public sectors are delinquents in that they have procured PPEs (protective equipment), but on the ground these things are not available," he told AFP. "It is really disturbing that our members have to resort to a strike and that's the last thing we would want to see happening during a pandemic." Nigeria Africa's most populous country has seen over 800 infections among medical staff and at least 11 deaths, according to figures from its national disease control agency. Resident doctors in poorly funded state hospitals on Monday began an indefinite strike -- sparked in part by complaints over inadequate protective gear. The Nigerian Medical Association, the umbrella body for all health workers, says its members are not being equipped properly for the threat. "We are like an endangered species. Our members are daily facing the risks of infection because of inadequate provision of PPEs," a top union official told AFP. He complained that medical personnel had faced harassment from security forces as they tried to do their jobs amid coronavirus restrictions. "In Lagos, some health workers were even detained by the police for allegedly violating the curfew," he said. Another major concern is that the country appears to be rapidly running out of bed space in isolation wards as the number of infections continues to mount. Chikwe Ihekweazu, head of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, insisted that the authorities were doing all they could to ensure enough protective kits. He said 16,000 health workers had been trained to deal with the virus and officials were now looking to let infected people stay home rather than have to isolate in state-run facilities. "The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a peculiar challenge to health systems across the world," Ihekweazu told AFP. "We are still learning a lot." Kenya Healthcare representatives say they are seeing the number of coronavirus cases grow among those working in the sector. Dr Chibanzi Mwachonda, acting Secretary General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union, said most infections are among medics at hospitals not handling COVID-19. In the majority of cases, workers are being exposed during emergency and theatre cases on patients being handled for other ailments, only to be found to be positive. Medics from various regions have held protests in recent weeks over the lack of gear and hazard pay, including at the country's two largest facilities handling coronavirus. While the strikes ended quickly after the authorities moved fast to address grievances, they exposed what critics say are major inadequacies in the graft-ridden sector. The government insists it will use some of the $2 billion emergency funding it has received from lenders and donors to make sure it has the "requisite equipment, supplies and medical personnel".

African medics struggle in virus 'war zone'

Martha Kahari was already struggling to make ends meet after Zimbabwe's coronavirus lockdown forced her to stop selling second-hand clothes and tomatoes at the side of the road in the capital Harare.

Then the council came to tear down her stall.&nbsp;

Since April, local authorities in Zimbabwe's major cities have demolished thousands of illegally built structures that vendors like Kahari use to sell their wares, in what authorities have said is an effort to legitimise informal trade in the city.&nbsp;

With her stall destroyed, the 40-year-old disabled mother of two has given up hope of being able to afford rent or pay back the money she borrowed to buy the stock she planned to sell once the lockdown was lifted.

"If I don't settle the loan soon, they will come and take my goods," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/zimbabwe-president-says-currency-under-attack-as-prices-spiral-304926" hreflang="en">Zimbabwe president says currency under attack as prices spiral</a>

"Because I've been deprived of income, I have to live in one room at my in-laws' with my two children and my property. We have no money for food and no one is helping us."

Vendors and informal workers' groups in Zimbabwe say that city officials, with the support of the national government, are exploiting the lockdown to destroy makeshift shops and market stalls while their owners are observing stay-at-home orders.

Oliver Chidawu, minister of state for Harare, and the city's mayor Herbert Gomba said in a joint statement in April that they had "noted with concern the anxiety that has gripped players in the informal sector" since the demolitions began.

The aim of the operation was to remove illegal businesses and ensure that cities are "clean, orderly and well-managed" while also making sure councils don't lose out on potential revenue, they said.

Crackdowns on informal traders, who make up more than three-quarters of the country's population, according to the Informal Economy Traders Association, are a frequent occurrence in Zimbabwe.&nbsp;

The last major wave of demolitions happened early last year, when about 2,500 stalls were torn down in Harare and Chitungwiza, a town about 30km (19 miles) south of the capital.

Samuel Wadzai, executive director of the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET), a union based in Harare, said the current operation has destroyed the livelihoods of more than 3 million vendors.

Having already gone without income since the southern African nation went into lockdown on March 30, many vendors lost essential stock and prized possessions when their stalls were destroyed, Wadzai said.

"Our members lost merchandise and property worth millions of dollars in the nationwide blitz," he said.

Vendors' rights advocates note that with Zimbabwe in the grips of an economic crisis that has seen soaring food prices and food shortages, vendors have spent any savings they had on feeding their families.

Now they will have no place to work from and no way to buy new stock once the lockdown is lifted, Wadzai said.

HAWKING FROM HOME

To survive, some vendors have turned to social media to ask for money and food donations, while others are hawking from their homes.

Bidnock Kunaka, 55, had two stalls - one in Kuwadzana suburb where he lives and another in central Harare - from which he sold various commodities, ranging from fruits and vegetables to hardware.

Because he was home observing lockdown rules, he learned about the demolitions from media reports and fellow vendors.

When he finally had the chance to check on his stall in Kuwadzana, he found only the shell left. Vendors were given no warnings that the demolitions were coming, Kunaka said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/virus-gods-punishment-of-west-zimbabwe-minister-286515" hreflang="en">Virus 'god's punishment' of west: Zimbabwe minister</a>

"I can't put food on the table now. The cash I had set aside to stock the business, we have exhausted on food and other household needs," said the father of four.

Without that working capital, Kunaka, who became a vendor in 2016 after losing his job as a factory worker, said it will be impossible to restart his business after the lockdown.

Instead, he has turned a portion of the land at his house into a market garden, where he is growing carrots, onions and leaf greens.

"I'm hoping from the garden I will manage to generate income to feed the family and to start vending again," he said.

DESIGNATED SPACES

Wadzai at VISET said the criminalisation of vendors and the demolition of their stalls goes against the state's responsibility to promote small businesses.

City officials have promised to accommodate vendors in approved spaces that will be designated for use by market vendors once the lockdown is lifted.

"The city of Harare and other local authorities are already in the process of identifying and preparing alternate workplaces for informal traders," Chidawu and Gomba said in their joint statement.&nbsp;

But Wadzai said the committees deciding how to allocate and use those spaces had not reached out to any vendors or informal workers' unions for their input.

"It is not fair for the authorities to take advantage of COVID-19 lockdown to attack the livelihoods of people and without any consultation," he said over the phone.

&nbsp;

'VENDORS ARE DYING'

While the Zimbabwean government has begun easing some lockdown measures to allow commerce and industry to slowly restart, the informal sector is still prohibited from operating.

Simon Masanga, the permanent secretary for social welfare, said in May the government began distributing 180 Zimbabwean dollars ($7.20) per month to more than 2,000 people who had been affected by the lockdown and the clampdown on vendors.&nbsp;

The goal is to scale up to 1 million beneficiaries, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding that registering vendors for financial aid was a slow process due to lockdown measures.

Vendors' rights groups like the Informal Economy Traders Association have described the payments as "paltry", saying they barely cover a family's most basic needs.

A family of five in Zimbabwe needs about 7,500 Zimbabwean dollars (about $300) per month to cover their basic needs, according to figures reported by Zimstat, the national statistics agency, in April.&nbsp;

"We are not saying this money is enough to meet basic requirements, but it will go a long way in assisting someone who does not have any money in their pocket," Masanga said in response to the criticisms.

If the government wants to help vendors recover from both the impacts of the pandemic and the loss of their stalls, it should ease the informal trading sector out of lockdown and put a rush on aid payments, Wadzai said.

"The government needs to speedily disburse funds to cushion those vulnerable," he said.

"It's taking too long. Vendors are literally dying of hunger."

Martha Kahari was already struggling to make ends meet after Zimbabwe's coronavirus lockdown forced her to stop selling second-hand clothes and tomatoes at the side of the road in the capital Harare.

Martha Kahari was already struggling to make ends meet after Zimbabwe's coronavirus lockdown forced her to stop selling second-hand clothes and tomatoes at the side of the road in the capital Harare. Then the council came to tear down her stall. Since April, local authorities in Zimbabwe's major cities have demolished thousands of illegally built structures that vendors like Kahari use to sell their wares, in what authorities have said is an effort to legitimise informal trade in the city. With her stall destroyed, the 40-year-old disabled mother of two has given up hope of being able to afford rent or pay back the money she borrowed to buy the stock she planned to sell once the lockdown was lifted. "If I don't settle the loan soon, they will come and take my goods," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Also read: Zimbabwe president says currency under attack as prices spiral "Because I've been deprived of income, I have to live in one room at my in-laws' with my two children and my property. We have no money for food and no one is helping us." Vendors and informal workers' groups in Zimbabwe say that city officials, with the support of the national government, are exploiting the lockdown to destroy makeshift shops and market stalls while their owners are observing stay-at-home orders. Oliver Chidawu, minister of state for Harare, and the city's mayor Herbert Gomba said in a joint statement in April that they had "noted with concern the anxiety that has gripped players in the informal sector" since the demolitions began. The aim of the operation was to remove illegal businesses and ensure that cities are "clean, orderly and well-managed" while also making sure councils don't lose out on potential revenue, they said. Crackdowns on informal traders, who make up more than three-quarters of the country's population, according to the Informal Economy Traders Association, are a frequent occurrence in Zimbabwe. The last major wave of demolitions happened early last year, when about 2,500 stalls were torn down in Harare and Chitungwiza, a town about 30km (19 miles) south of the capital. Samuel Wadzai, executive director of the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET), a union based in Harare, said the current operation has destroyed the livelihoods of more than 3 million vendors. Having already gone without income since the southern African nation went into lockdown on March 30, many vendors lost essential stock and prized possessions when their stalls were destroyed, Wadzai said. "Our members lost merchandise and property worth millions of dollars in the nationwide blitz," he said. Vendors' rights advocates note that with Zimbabwe in the grips of an economic crisis that has seen soaring food prices and food shortages, vendors have spent any savings they had on feeding their families. Now they will have no place to work from and no way to buy new stock once the lockdown is lifted, Wadzai said. HAWKING FROM HOME To survive, some vendors have turned to social media to ask for money and food donations, while others are hawking from their homes. Bidnock Kunaka, 55, had two stalls - one in Kuwadzana suburb where he lives and another in central Harare - from which he sold various commodities, ranging from fruits and vegetables to hardware. Because he was home observing lockdown rules, he learned about the demolitions from media reports and fellow vendors. When he finally had the chance to check on his stall in Kuwadzana, he found only the shell left. Vendors were given no warnings that the demolitions were coming, Kunaka said. Also read: Virus 'god's punishment' of west: Zimbabwe minister "I can't put food on the table now. The cash I had set aside to stock the business, we have exhausted on food and other household needs," said the father of four. Without that working capital, Kunaka, who became a vendor in 2016 after losing his job as a factory worker, said it will be impossible to restart his business after the lockdown. Instead, he has turned a portion of the land at his house into a market garden, where he is growing carrots, onions and leaf greens. "I'm hoping from the garden I will manage to generate income to feed the family and to start vending again," he said. DESIGNATED SPACES Wadzai at VISET said the criminalisation of vendors and the demolition of their stalls goes against the state's responsibility to promote small businesses. City officials have promised to accommodate vendors in approved spaces that will be designated for use by market vendors once the lockdown is lifted. "The city of Harare and other local authorities are already in the process of identifying and preparing alternate workplaces for informal traders," Chidawu and Gomba said in their joint statement. But Wadzai said the committees deciding how to allocate and use those spaces had not reached out to any vendors or informal workers' unions for their input. "It is not fair for the authorities to take advantage of COVID-19 lockdown to attack the livelihoods of people and without any consultation," he said over the phone. 'VENDORS ARE DYING' While the Zimbabwean government has begun easing some lockdown measures to allow commerce and industry to slowly restart, the informal sector is still prohibited from operating. Simon Masanga, the permanent secretary for social welfare, said in May the government began distributing 180 Zimbabwean dollars ($7.20) per month to more than 2,000 people who had been affected by the lockdown and the clampdown on vendors. The goal is to scale up to 1 million beneficiaries, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding that registering vendors for financial aid was a slow process due to lockdown measures. Vendors' rights groups like the Informal Economy Traders Association have described the payments as "paltry", saying they barely cover a family's most basic needs. A family of five in Zimbabwe needs about 7,500 Zimbabwean dollars (about $300) per month to cover their basic needs, according to figures reported by Zimstat, the national statistics agency, in April. "We are not saying this money is enough to meet basic requirements, but it will go a long way in assisting someone who does not have any money in their pocket," Masanga said in response to the criticisms. If the government wants to help vendors recover from both the impacts of the pandemic and the loss of their stalls, it should ease the informal trading sector out of lockdown and put a rush on aid payments, Wadzai said. "The government needs to speedily disburse funds to cushion those vulnerable," he said. "It's taking too long. Vendors are literally dying of hunger."

'Dying of hunger': Zimbabwe street vendors hit by coronavirus clampdown

Europe’s headaches just got worse. Its efforts to contain wars on its doorstep in Libya and Syria have failed at a moment when&nbsp;Europe is struggling to control a pandemic and reverse its economic fallout.

Proxy wars that pit the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt against Qatar and Turkey have spilled out of Libya and Syria into the Eastern Mediterranean as a whole.

European nations, including France, Greece, and Cyprus, feel threatened by Turkey’s use of Libya to extend its grip on gas-rich regional waters in violation of international law. As a result, Middle Eastern and North African disputes are becoming European problems.

Libya’s internationally recognized Islamist Government of National Accord (GNA), backed by Turkish military might, has forced rebels led by Khalifa Haftar, who is supported by Russia, Egypt, France and the UAE to retreat in recent weeks from western Libya and fight to maintain control of key cities in the center of the country.

A statement last month by the foreign ministers of France, Greece, Cyprus, the UAE, and Egypt made their concerns clear.

The statement condemned Turkey’s "illegal activities" in the Eastern Mediterranean. It called on Turkey to “fully respect the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of all states in their maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

Israel was conspicuously absent among the signatories even though it maintains close relations with all of them.

The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), a prominent Israeli think tank, warned that “given that Israel’s ties with Turkey have been highly problematic and relations with Russia remain delicate, Jerusalem needs to prepare for the possibility of a continuing and even growing regional influence of both, especially in light of Washington’s continued reluctance to assume a more active diplomatic or military role.”

So does Europe, which at the European Union level has so far remained on the sidelines at its peril.

“Now that the catastrophic consequences of European inaction are evident and Haftar no longer has a chance to seize power, a (European) policy shift is both possible and indispensable,” said Libya scholar Wolfram Lacher.

“Two key goals should guide European policies: first, safeguard Libya’s unity; second, counter Russian influence in Libya as a matter of priority. The U.S. shares both goals. But Europeans will only be able to act in unison if the French position shifts away from its relative tolerance for Russia and adversarial stance towards Turkey,” Lacher suggested.&nbsp; 
 
Lacher appears to believe that countering Russia would not only help thwart the threat posed by Moscow but also prevent Turkey and Russia from carving up Libya into spheres of influence, if not separate states.

Arguing that the EU can no longer afford to stand by, Lacher advised the EU to impose sanctions on Haftar in a bid to undermine Russian support for his forces.

“In parallel, Western states should finally push their interests in a stable Libya more strongly when engaging with Haftar’s other foreign supporters, particularly Egypt and the UAE, to dissuade them from further cooperation with Russia,” Lacher said.

Underlying the UAE’s Saudi-backed determination to stymie Turkey is its assertive global campaign to confront any expression of political Islam. The UAE is aided by Egypt, whose president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, came into power in a 2013 Emirati-backed military coup that toppled an elected Muslim Brotherhood president.

Coupled with an agreement between Turkey and the Tripoli-based GNA which extends the two countries maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish involvement in the wars in Libya and Syria appears to have fueled Emirati efforts to suck Europe, and ultimately the United States, into its conflict with Turkey.

Greece and Italy — which was believed to be supporting the GNA prior to Turkey’s intervention — this week signed a maritime boundaries agreement to counter Turkish moves. The accord recognizes Greek territorial waters off its many islands in accordance with the international Law of the Sea. The Turkish-Libyan agreement ignores those rights for a number of Greek islands.

The UAE and its partners in the Eastern Mediterranean were expected to support the Greek-Italian accord.

The UAE is banking on the fact that Turkey’s traditional ties to its NATO allies, Europe and the US, are strained over a host of issues, including Turkey’s military intervention in Libya, the fate of millions of refugees primarily from Syria hosted by Turkey, and Turkey’s relationship with Russia and its acquisition of an S-400 Russian anti-missile defence system.

The UAE has been putting in place the building blocks for enhanced influence in the eastern Mediterranean for some time. Increasingly close ties to Israel, whose relations with Turkey are complex, constitute a cornerstone. So does UAE participation in Greek-led annual military exercises in which Israel, Cyprus, Italy, and the United States also take part.

Containing Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean has taken on greater significance after the UAE’s hopes for a planned EastMed pipeline that would have transported natural gas from Israeli, Cypriot and Lebanese fields via Greece to Italy, were dashed.

The pipeline threatened to replace up to half of the Qatari exports to Europe with gas from the Eastern Mediterranean.

Among Qatar’s detractors, the UAE is believed to be the most resistant to finding a compromise that would end the three-year-old UAE-Saudi-led boycott of the Gulf state.

The $7 billion, 2,200-kilometre-long pipeline project was effectively put on hold because of the economic fallout of the pandemic and the collapse of energy prices.

A consortium led by France’s Total, which includes Italian oil and gas major ENI and Novatek, Russia’s second-largest gas producer, was expected to halt drilling after its first well proved to be dry.

ENI and Total have also suspended plans for six drillings off the coast of Cyprus while ExxonMobil has delayed exploration of its two wells in the area. US explorer Noble Energy together with Shell and Herzliya-based Delek Drilling is likely to follow suit in Israel’s Aphrodite field.

All of that does not seem to deter Turkey. The country’s Official Gazette announced on May 30 that state-owned oil company Turkish Petroleum had been granted 24 exploration licenses that include waters off the coast of Greek islands such as Crete and Rhodes.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias’ warning that his country would answer what he called, "the Turkish provocation" if Turkey were to proceed would further draw Europe into the Eastern Mediterranean’s mushrooming imbroglio.

It is a development that would boost Emirati efforts to further corner Turkey internationally even if it would for now likely further dampen prospects for dealing a blow to Qatar. 
 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Europe’s headaches just got worse. Its efforts to contain wars on its doorstep in Libya and Syria have failed at a moment when Europe is struggling to control a pandemic and reverse its economic fallout.

Europe’s headaches just got worse. Its efforts to contain wars on its doorstep in Libya and Syria have failed at a moment when Europe is struggling to control a pandemic and reverse its economic fallout. Proxy wars that pit the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt against Qatar and Turkey have spilled out of Libya and Syria into the Eastern Mediterranean as a whole. European nations, including France, Greece, and Cyprus, feel threatened by Turkey’s use of Libya to extend its grip on gas-rich regional waters in violation of international law. As a result, Middle Eastern and North African disputes are becoming European problems. Libya’s internationally recognized Islamist Government of National Accord (GNA), backed by Turkish military might, has forced rebels led by Khalifa Haftar, who is supported by Russia, Egypt, France and the UAE to retreat in recent weeks from western Libya and fight to maintain control of key cities in the center of the country. A statement last month by the foreign ministers of France, Greece, Cyprus, the UAE, and Egypt made their concerns clear. The statement condemned Turkey’s "illegal activities" in the Eastern Mediterranean. It called on Turkey to “fully respect the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of all states in their maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean.” Israel was conspicuously absent among the signatories even though it maintains close relations with all of them. The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), a prominent Israeli think tank, warned that “given that Israel’s ties with Turkey have been highly problematic and relations with Russia remain delicate, Jerusalem needs to prepare for the possibility of a continuing and even growing regional influence of both, especially in light of Washington’s continued reluctance to assume a more active diplomatic or military role.” So does Europe, which at the European Union level has so far remained on the sidelines at its peril. “Now that the catastrophic consequences of European inaction are evident and Haftar no longer has a chance to seize power, a (European) policy shift is both possible and indispensable,” said Libya scholar Wolfram Lacher. “Two key goals should guide European policies: first, safeguard Libya’s unity; second, counter Russian influence in Libya as a matter of priority. The U.S. shares both goals. But Europeans will only be able to act in unison if the French position shifts away from its relative tolerance for Russia and adversarial stance towards Turkey,” Lacher suggested. Lacher appears to believe that countering Russia would not only help thwart the threat posed by Moscow but also prevent Turkey and Russia from carving up Libya into spheres of influence, if not separate states. Arguing that the EU can no longer afford to stand by, Lacher advised the EU to impose sanctions on Haftar in a bid to undermine Russian support for his forces. “In parallel, Western states should finally push their interests in a stable Libya more strongly when engaging with Haftar’s other foreign supporters, particularly Egypt and the UAE, to dissuade them from further cooperation with Russia,” Lacher said. Underlying the UAE’s Saudi-backed determination to stymie Turkey is its assertive global campaign to confront any expression of political Islam. The UAE is aided by Egypt, whose president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, came into power in a 2013 Emirati-backed military coup that toppled an elected Muslim Brotherhood president. Coupled with an agreement between Turkey and the Tripoli-based GNA which extends the two countries maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish involvement in the wars in Libya and Syria appears to have fueled Emirati efforts to suck Europe, and ultimately the United States, into its conflict with Turkey. Greece and Italy — which was believed to be supporting the GNA prior to Turkey’s intervention — this week signed a maritime boundaries agreement to counter Turkish moves. The accord recognizes Greek territorial waters off its many islands in accordance with the international Law of the Sea. The Turkish-Libyan agreement ignores those rights for a number of Greek islands. The UAE and its partners in the Eastern Mediterranean were expected to support the Greek-Italian accord. The UAE is banking on the fact that Turkey’s traditional ties to its NATO allies, Europe and the US, are strained over a host of issues, including Turkey’s military intervention in Libya, the fate of millions of refugees primarily from Syria hosted by Turkey, and Turkey’s relationship with Russia and its acquisition of an S-400 Russian anti-missile defence system. The UAE has been putting in place the building blocks for enhanced influence in the eastern Mediterranean for some time. Increasingly close ties to Israel, whose relations with Turkey are complex, constitute a cornerstone. So does UAE participation in Greek-led annual military exercises in which Israel, Cyprus, Italy, and the United States also take part. Containing Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean has taken on greater significance after the UAE’s hopes for a planned EastMed pipeline that would have transported natural gas from Israeli, Cypriot and Lebanese fields via Greece to Italy, were dashed. The pipeline threatened to replace up to half of the Qatari exports to Europe with gas from the Eastern Mediterranean. Among Qatar’s detractors, the UAE is believed to be the most resistant to finding a compromise that would end the three-year-old UAE-Saudi-led boycott of the Gulf state. The $7 billion, 2,200-kilometre-long pipeline project was effectively put on hold because of the economic fallout of the pandemic and the collapse of energy prices. A consortium led by France’s Total, which includes Italian oil and gas major ENI and Novatek, Russia’s second-largest gas producer, was expected to halt drilling after its first well proved to be dry. ENI and Total have also suspended plans for six drillings off the coast of Cyprus while ExxonMobil has delayed exploration of its two wells in the area. US explorer Noble Energy together with Shell and Herzliya-based Delek Drilling is likely to follow suit in Israel’s Aphrodite field. All of that does not seem to deter Turkey. The country’s Official Gazette announced on May 30 that state-owned oil company Turkish Petroleum had been granted 24 exploration licenses that include waters off the coast of Greek islands such as Crete and Rhodes. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias’ warning that his country would answer what he called, "the Turkish provocation" if Turkey were to proceed would further draw Europe into the Eastern Mediterranean’s mushrooming imbroglio. It is a development that would boost Emirati efforts to further corner Turkey internationally even if it would for now likely further dampen prospects for dealing a blow to Qatar. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Europe caught between coronavirus and economic hardships

Madagascar minister fired over plan to distribute candies to students worth $2 Million. Minister's plan was to distribute 3 candies per student. Watch this video to get more on this.

Madagascar minister fired over plan to distribute candies to students worth $2 Million

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which continues to decimate economies and kill scores of population across the globe, a new kind of medical storm is brewing in a Central African country - Democratic Republic of Congo.

A new outbreak of Ebola was reported in the country’s northwestern areas, news agency AFP reported. The country is currently dealing with the coronavirus outbreak in the eastern parts. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/in-the-shadow-of-ebola-and-covid-19-measles-rips-through-congo-288051" hreflang="en">In the shadow of Ebola and Covid-19, measles rips through Congo</a>

This resurgence has taken the lives of four people in the city of Mbandaka, the Health Minister Eteni Longondo said in a press conference.

"The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) has confirmed to me that samples from Mbandaka tested positive for Ebola... We will send them the vaccine and medicine very quickly" Longondo said.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e75563b2-561a-4a9f-a53d-6d8fe188a0d0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-4_4.jpg" /> 
A girl is getting inoculated with an Ebola vaccine on November 22, 2019 in Goma | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Mbandaka is the capital of Congo’s Equateur province, which serves as a transport hub alongside the Congo river and houses over a million people.&nbsp;Ebola had hit the same province in the summer months of May and July in 2018, which claimed the lives of 33 people.

Since surfacing, the Ebola epidemic has killed 2,280 people in the country’s eastern region. The government was planning to announce the country Ebola free on June 25, but with new cases resurfacing, the country has to continue fighting it.&nbsp;A similar situation had&nbsp;come up in April this year when the country was three days away from declaring itself free of Ebola.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/coronavirus-much-much-worse-says-peter-piot-ebola-discoverer-286205" hreflang="en">Coronavirus much, much worse, says Peter Piot, Ebola discoverer</a>

"This is a province that has already experienced the disease. They know how to respond. They started the response at the local level yesterday (Sunday)," Longondo said.

If no cases are reported for 42 days in a row, the country would be able to declare itself free of ebola.

This marks the eleventh outbreak in the country since 1976.

Alongside ebola, the country is battling the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed over 72 and infected over 3,000 so far.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which continues to decimate economies and kill scores of population across the globe, a new kind of medical storm is brewing in a Central African country - Democratic Republic of Congo.

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which continues to decimate economies and kill scores of population across the globe, a new kind of medical storm is brewing in a Central African country - Democratic Republic of Congo. A new outbreak of Ebola was reported in the country’s northwestern areas, news agency AFP reported. The country is currently dealing with the coronavirus outbreak in the eastern parts. Also read: In the shadow of Ebola and Covid-19, measles rips through Congo This resurgence has taken the lives of four people in the city of Mbandaka, the Health Minister Eteni Longondo said in a press conference. "The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) has confirmed to me that samples from Mbandaka tested positive for Ebola... We will send them the vaccine and medicine very quickly" Longondo said. A girl is getting inoculated with an Ebola vaccine on November 22, 2019 in Goma | AFP Mbandaka is the capital of Congo’s Equateur province, which serves as a transport hub alongside the Congo river and houses over a million people. Ebola had hit the same province in the summer months of May and July in 2018, which claimed the lives of 33 people. Since surfacing, the Ebola epidemic has killed 2,280 people in the country’s eastern region. The government was planning to announce the country Ebola free on June 25, but with new cases resurfacing, the country has to continue fighting it. A similar situation had come up in April this year when the country was three days away from declaring itself free of Ebola. Also read: Coronavirus much, much worse, says Peter Piot, Ebola discoverer "This is a province that has already experienced the disease. They know how to respond. They started the response at the local level yesterday (Sunday)," Longondo said. If no cases are reported for 42 days in a row, the country would be able to declare itself free of ebola. This marks the eleventh outbreak in the country since 1976. Alongside ebola, the country is battling the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed over 72 and infected over 3,000 so far. (With inputs from AFP)

Congo reports fresh Ebola outbreak three weeks before plans to proclaim the country disease-free

Bottlenecks at borders as government screen lorry drivers to contain the new coronavirus are putting the delivery of vital food supplies in East Africa at risk, the U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP) warned.

East Africa battles hunger amid COVID-19 pandemic

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