AFRICA

African banks, including central banks, have been quick to appraise the situation in the wake of the lockdowns induced by Covid-19 and most have put mitigating measures in place. These, writes Neil Ford, will go a long way to reducing the impact of the inevitable loss of business across the board. | …

Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA |  At least 18 civilians were killed in an incursion attributed to the Boko Haram group on the night of Saturday to Sunday in Cameroon’s Far North region, according to local sources. The attack took place at a place called Nguetchewe, located in the sub-division of …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | XINHUA | The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations said on Sunday that large numbers of desert locust swarms that have formed in Horn of Africa (HoA), mainly Ethiopia and Kenya, since January 2020 could move west in the coming weeks, threatening fields, …

Kigali, Rwanda | XINHUA | Rwandan airports on Saturday reopened to international travellers, more than four months after the central African nation suspended commercial passenger flights to mitigate the COVID-19 outbreak. The suspension didn’t affect cargo and emergency flights. Tourists travelling by charter flights had been allowed to enter the …

Johannesburg, South Africa | XINHUA | The South African police on Saturday announced the firearms amnesty extension for six months to allow those with illegal and possession of firearms which they do not need to surrender them without prosecution. The police said the amnesty period is from Aug. 1 until …

Pretoria, South Africa | XINHUA | Innovation, science and technology would be handy in defeating COVID-19 and rebuilding world economies, said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa’s speech was read by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande on Friday at a virtual science and innovation conference …

  Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | Kenya will re-open its airspace to international flights on August one for priority and authorized airlines and travelers. Uganda is one of only 19 countries that have been authorized to fly into Kenya. Travelers from the 19 countries who do not have symptoms …

Stuttgart, Germany | THE INDEPENDENT |  The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) headquarters will shift from Germany following President Donald Trump’s decision to pull troops based  there. As part of the U.S. European Command Review, the Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper  publicly announced plans to make U.S. force adjustments within the European area …

Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | Ugandan scientists on Thursday warned that COVID-19 cases in the country could surge out of proportion if the public continues to relax in implementing preventive measures against the virus. The country this week and last week registered its first two COVID-19 deaths, and the scientists …

Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | Africa still has a chance to contain the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent once proper measures taken, John Nkengasong, director of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said on Thursday. According to the released data as of July 29 by the CDC …