Category: Africa

Two international aid groups said Tuesday that the Ethiopian government had suspended part or all of their operations, while the United Nations humanitarian chief warned Ethiopian authorities that blanket accusations against aid workers in the country’s embattled Tigray region and elsewhere are “dangerous” and must stop. Martin Griffiths spoke to reporters amid a new push to get more badly needed food and other supplies into Tigray, where hundreds of thousands of people face famine conditions and Ethiopia’s government has been accused of blocking assistance. He acknowledged that his own flights…

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Since late 2020, Cameroon has suspended the activities of Doctors Without Borders in the northwestern part of the country, which is in the middle of a conflict between the army and anglophone separatist forces. After several months of negotiations with the authorities, the NGO has finally decided to withdraw its teams from the region. Frédéric Janssens, MSF communications advisor, describes the situation in the interview above. Sourced from Africanews

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Emmanuel Korir won gold and led a Kenyan one-two finish in the 800 meters at the Olympics. Korir pushed his way past Australia’s Peter Bol on the last turn and surged home to win in 1 minute, 45.06 seconds. It was Kenya’s fourth straight victory in the 800 at the Olympics. Teammate Ferguson Rotich took silver with a late kick to overtake Poland’s Patryk Dobek, who held on for bronze ahead of Bol. Kenya has claimed this title at every Olympics since Beijing 2008. World-record holder David Rudisha won the…

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Machar, a pivotal figure in South Sudan’s bloody road to independence and subsequent civil war, was deposed following a three-day gathering of senior SPLM/A-IO leaders in the country’s far north, the party’s military wing said. Its chief of staff, First Lieutenant General Simon Gatwech Dual, was declared interim leader of the opposition movement that governs the troubled country in a shaky alliance with former enemies. It is unclear what the putsch means for Machar, a wily leader who survived years of bush warfare, close attempts on his life and stretches…

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Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Tuesday threw his country’s “full support” behind Tunisian President Kais Saied, who has suspended parliament, sacked the prime minister and seized executive power. “We affirm the full support of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the stability and the fulfullment of the will of the Tunisian people,” Shoukry said after meeting Saied in Tunis. On July 25, Saied invoked the constitution to seize executive power in what his main opponents, the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, denounced as a “coup”. Nine days later, Tunisia is still…

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Morocco on Tuesday increased its curfew hours and stepped up travel restrictions to three major cities in a bid to slow surging coronavirus cases. A nationwide curfew, in place since December, is now in force from 9:00 pm (2000 GMT) to 5:00 am, according to a government statement. It was previously in force from 11:00 pm to 4:30 am. The authorities have also restricted travel to and from the cities of Agadir, Casablanca and Marrakesh. Those who have had two vaccinations are exempt from the night-time curfew and travel restrictions.…

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Tunisia remains in limbo more than a week after President Kais Saied fired the prime minister, froze parliament and took on executive powers. Some citizens worried about what comes next, and when it will happen, as pressure for decisions mounts. Clues about Saied´s next moves were few, but there were some. He took action after a day of nationwide protests last Sunday over the North African nation´s deteriorating social and economic situation – topped by the raging coronavirus epidemic – and began ruling by decree. Some members of the opposition…

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A decision to ban the use of an extra-large swim cap designed specifically to protect dreadlocks, weaves, hair extensions, braids, and thick and curly hair in the Tokyo Games has spotlighted a lack of diversity in swimming. Alice Dearing, the first Black female swimmer on Britain’s Olympic team, uses and promotes the Soul Cap, but has been forbidden from wearing it. Many decried the decision by FINA, which oversees international competitions in swimming. It said it will take another look at the cap later in the year. Black swimmers are…

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