INSIDER
Boko Haram militants on motorcycles attacked a Nigerian village, killing over 100, residents say
Read full article: Boko Haram militants on motorcycles attacked a Nigerian village, killing over 100, residents sayResidents in northeastern Nigeria say at least 100 villagers were killed when suspected Boko Haram Islamic extremists opened fire on a market, on worshippers and in people’s homes.
Now that mpox is a global health emergency, will it trigger another pandemic?
Read full article: Now that mpox is a global health emergency, will it trigger another pandemic?The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing outbreaks of mpox in Congo and elsewhere in Africa to be a global emergency, requiring urgent action to curb the virus’ transmission.
Algeria courts disenchanted youth as 78-year-old president vies for second term
Read full article: Algeria courts disenchanted youth as 78-year-old president vies for second termThe young people who make up more than half of Algeria's population are so disenchanted that they may not vote in next month's presidential election.
Lawmakers in Nigeria try to resolve rift between authorities and Africa's richest man
Read full article: Lawmakers in Nigeria try to resolve rift between authorities and Africa's richest manNigerian legislators have begun an investigation into the alleged importation of contaminated fuel into the country, part of efforts to resolve issues causing a rift between an oil refinery owned by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote and the industry regulator.
United Methodist delegates repeal their church’s ban on its clergy celebrating same-sex marriages
Read full article: United Methodist delegates repeal their church’s ban on its clergy celebrating same-sex marriagesUnited Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on the celebrations of same-sex marriages or unions by its clergy.
Abortions are legal in much of Africa. But few women may be aware, and providers don't advertise it
Read full article: Abortions are legal in much of Africa. But few women may be aware, and providers don't advertise itMore than 20 countries across Africa have loosened restrictions on abortion in recent years, but experts say many women probably don’t realize they are entitled to a legal abortion.
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are idling car factories and delaying new fashion. Will it get worse?
Read full article: Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are idling car factories and delaying new fashion. Will it get worse?Attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels have unraveled a key global trade route, forcing vessels into longer and more costly journeys around Africa.
How attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi rebels are crimping global trade
Read full article: How attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi rebels are crimping global tradeThe attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have rerouted trade away from a crucial corridor for consumer goods and energy supplies.
Mpox vaccinations should be recommended for high-risk men, even after outbreak ends, advisers say
Read full article: Mpox vaccinations should be recommended for high-risk men, even after outbreak ends, advisers sayGovernment health advisers say gay and bisexual men at high risk for mpox infection should get vaccinated for the virus even after the current outbreak ends.
Science paints a new picture of the ancient past, when we mixed and mated with other kinds of humans
Read full article: Science paints a new picture of the ancient past, when we mixed and mated with other kinds of humansThe science of human evolution has made big leaps in recent years, and it’s painting a new picture of our origins.
Nigerian workers walk off the job again to protest rising costs after removal of gas subsidies
Read full article: Nigerian workers walk off the job again to protest rising costs after removal of gas subsidiesSome employees in government offices in Nigeria walked off their jobs in protest of the growing cost of living due to the removal of gas subsidies, threatening to “shut down” Africa’s largest economy if their demands for improved welfare are not met.
EU grapples with its African army training dilemma as another coup rocks the continent
Read full article: EU grapples with its African army training dilemma as another coup rocks the continentThe European Union is growing increasingly concerned about “domino effects” as yet another military coup rocks Africa.
Kremlin says 'deliberate wrongdoing' is a possible cause of the plane crash that killed Wagner chief
Read full article: Kremlin says 'deliberate wrongdoing' is a possible cause of the plane crash that killed Wagner chiefThe Kremlin's spokesperson says “deliberate wrongdoing” is among the possible causes of the plane crash that killed Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin last week.
Lawmakers say the UK should ban Russia's Wagner as a terrorist group
Read full article: Lawmakers say the UK should ban Russia's Wagner as a terrorist groupBritish lawmakers say the U.K. has underestimated the threat posed by the Russian Wagner mercenary group and should ban it as a terrorist organization.
Climate and violence hobble Nigeria's push to rely on its own wheat after the hit from Russia's war
Read full article: Climate and violence hobble Nigeria's push to rely on its own wheat after the hit from Russia's warNigeria is trying to make Africa’s largest economy reliant on its own wheat production.
Russia targets Ukraine's port of Odesa and calls it payback for a strike on a key bridge to Crimea
Read full article: Russia targets Ukraine's port of Odesa and calls it payback for a strike on a key bridge to CrimeaUkraine said its forces shot down Russian drones and cruise missiles targeting the Black Sea port of Odesa in what Moscow called “retribution” for an attack that damaged a crucial bridge to the Crimean Peninsula.
Nigeria opens Africa’s biggest oil refinery as it tries to boost struggling sector
Read full article: Nigeria opens Africa’s biggest oil refinery as it tries to boost struggling sectorNigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has opened Africa’s biggest oil refinery, with hopes it will help the country achieve self-sufficiency and become a net exporter of refined petroleum products.
Hundreds dead as Cyclone Freddy wrecks Malawi, Mozambique
Read full article: Hundreds dead as Cyclone Freddy wrecks Malawi, MozambiqueThe devastating Tropical Cyclone Freddy which has ripped through southern Africa in a rare second landfall has killed at least 219 people in Malawi and Mozambique since Saturday night, with the death toll expected to continue to rise.
Death toll climbs as Cyclone Freddy slams Malawi, Mozambique
Read full article: Death toll climbs as Cyclone Freddy slams Malawi, MozambiqueAn unrelenting Cyclone Freddy that is currently battering southern Africa has killed at least 56 people in Malawi and Mozambique since it struck the continent for a second time on Saturday night, authorities in both countries have confirmed.
Vice President Harris to visit Africa in latest US outreach
Read full article: Vice President Harris to visit Africa in latest US outreachVice President Kamala Harris plans to travel to Africa at the end of March as the United States seeks to pitch itself as a better partner for the continent than China is.
As Tigray calms, Ethiopia sees growing conflict in Oromia
Read full article: As Tigray calms, Ethiopia sees growing conflict in OromiaAs one deadly conflict in Ethiopia begins to calm, another is growing, challenging a government that’s eager to persuade the international community to lift sanctions and revive what was once one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies.
After raising hope, Biden still lacks climate migration plan
Read full article: After raising hope, Biden still lacks climate migration planShortly after President Joe Biden took office, he issued what was widely hailed as a landmark executive order calling for the U.S. government to address the impact of climate change on migration.
Climate Questions: How much has the climate changed already?
Read full article: Climate Questions: How much has the climate changed already?From incrementally rising temperatures and seas to an influx of natural disasters, the climate right now certainly isn't the same as it was before the industrial era.
Berlin museum approaches ethnological collection in new ways
Read full article: Berlin museum approaches ethnological collection in new waysA Berlin museum opens fully to the public this week with a very modern take on the display of cultural items from around the world and the debate over demands for some of them to be returned to their homelands.
Ethiopia's economy struggles as war reignites in Tigray
Read full article: Ethiopia's economy struggles as war reignites in TigrayOnce home to one of Africa’s fastest growing economies, Ethiopia is struggling as the war in its Tigray region has reignited and weary citizens far from the front are pleading for peace.
Free San Antonio Zoo admission for Texas frontline heroes in September
Read full article: Free San Antonio Zoo admission for Texas frontline heroes in SeptemberThe San Antonio Zoo is showing appreciation for all doctors, police officers, firefighters, and EMTs across Texas by offering them free admission during September.
With war nearby, US shows support for Poland on army holiday
Read full article: With war nearby, US shows support for Poland on army holidayPolish officials are marking their nation’s Armed Forces Day holiday alongside the U.S. army commander in Europe and regular American troops, a symbolic underlining of NATO support for members on the eastern front as Russia wages war nearby in Ukraine.
UK: Monkeypox cases rise to 1,735 with most cases in London
Read full article: UK: Monkeypox cases rise to 1,735 with most cases in LondonBritish health officials say there have now been 1,735 confirmed cases of monkeypox and that three-quarters of those cases are in London, according to new numbers released on Tuesday.
EU regulator considers clearing smallpox shot for monkeypox
Read full article: EU regulator considers clearing smallpox shot for monkeypoxThe European Medicines Agency says it will begin reviewing data to decide if a smallpox vaccine made by the pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic might also be authorized for monkeypox, amid a growing outbreak of the disease across the continent.
21 dead in South African nightclub; cause not yet known
Read full article: 21 dead in South African nightclub; cause not yet knownSouth African police are investigating the deaths of at least 21 people at a nightclub in the coastal town of East London Sunday and authorities say most of the victims were minors as young as 13-year-old.
UK to offer vaccines to some gay, bisexual men for monkeypox
Read full article: UK to offer vaccines to some gay, bisexual men for monkeypoxBritish health officials will start offering vaccines to men who are gay or bisexual or have sex with men, who are at the highest risk of catching monkeypox, in an effort to curb the biggest outbreak of the disease beyond Africa.
WHO convenes experts to decide if monkeypox is an emergency
Read full article: WHO convenes experts to decide if monkeypox is an emergencyThe World Health Organization will convene its emergency committee to determine if the monkeypox outbreak that has mysteriously spread beyond Africa warrants being declared a global health emergency.
WHO: Nearly 200 cases of monkeypox in more than 20 countries
Read full article: WHO: Nearly 200 cases of monkeypox in more than 20 countriesThe World Health Organization says nearly 200 cases of monkeypox have been reported in more than 20 countries not usually known to have outbreaks of the unusual disease, but described the epidemic as “containable” and proposed creating a stockpile to equitably share the limited vaccines and drugs available worldwide.
Spanish LGBTQ groups wary of monkeypox stigma as Pride nears
Read full article: Spanish LGBTQ groups wary of monkeypox stigma as Pride nearsWith one of Europe’s largest gay pride celebrations right around the corner, Spain's LGBTQ community is worried that outbreaks of monkeypox on the continent could lead to an increase of homophobic sentiment based on misunderstandings of the disease.
Expert: Monkeypox likely spread by sex at 2 raves in Europe
Read full article: Expert: Monkeypox likely spread by sex at 2 raves in EuropeA leading World Health Organization adviser says the unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox in developed countries is “a random event” that might be explained by sexual behavior at two recent raves in Europe.
Security concerns, lack of support stall Africa's Green Wall
Read full article: Security concerns, lack of support stall Africa's Green WallA series of complex challenges, including a lack of funding and political will as well as rising insecurity linked to extremist groups al-Qaida and the Islamic State in Burkina Faso, are obstructing progress on Africa’s Great Green Wall, according to experts involved in the initiative.
WHO: COVID deaths dropped by 21% last week but cases rising
Read full article: WHO: COVID deaths dropped by 21% last week but cases risingThe number of coronavirus deaths globally dropped by about 21% in the past week while cases rose in most parts of the world, according to the World Health Organization.
Climate change to make droughts longer, more common, says UN
Read full article: Climate change to make droughts longer, more common, says UNThe frequency and duration of droughts will continue to increase due to human-caused climate change, with water scarcity already affecting billions of people across the world, the United Nations warned in a report Wednesday.
EU Commission: von der Leyen unconcerned by missed handshake
Read full article: EU Commission: von der Leyen unconcerned by missed handshakeThe European Commission is downplaying as a “storm in a teacup” an incident last week at a EU-Africa summit in Brussels during which its president was hardly acknowledged by a foreign minister.
WHO counts 18 million virus cases last week as omicron slows
Read full article: WHO counts 18 million virus cases last week as omicron slowsThe World Health Organization says the number of new coronavirus cases globally rose by 20% last week to more than 18 million, marking a slowdown in the surge caused by the omicron variant.
'A safe place.' For LGBT asylum seekers, a new shot at life
Read full article: 'A safe place.' For LGBT asylum seekers, a new shot at lifeA Massachusetts church that supports immigrants fleeing their countries for their sexual orientation has opened a new home for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender asylum seekers.
China to donate 600 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa
Read full article: China to donate 600 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to AfricaChina has pledged to donate 600 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to Africa as the world grapples with the unequal distribution of the shots between rich and poor countries.
Omicron brings COVID-19 vaccine inequity 'home to roost'
Read full article: Omicron brings COVID-19 vaccine inequity 'home to roost'The emergence of the new omicron variant and the world’s desperate and likely futile attempts to keep it at bay are reminders of what scientists have warned for months: The coronavirus will thrive as long as vast parts of the world lack vaccines.
Portugal probes local transmission of omicron at soccer team
Read full article: Portugal probes local transmission of omicron at soccer teamPortuguese health authorities have identified 13 cases of the omicron coronavirus variant among members of a top soccer club, and were investigating possible local transmission of the virus outside of southern Africa.
UN peacekeepers face greater threats from complex conflicts
Read full article: UN peacekeepers face greater threats from complex conflictsThe more than 87,000 personnel in U.N. peacekeeping missions are confronting greater threats today because conflicts have become more complex and are driven by an increasing number of factors ranging from ethnic tensions and the impact of organized crime to illegal exploitation of resources and terrorism.
Leaders, activists alarmed, not surprised by climate report
Read full article: Leaders, activists alarmed, not surprised by climate reportA U.N.-appointed panel of experts says that Earth is getting so hot that temperatures in about a decade will probably blow past the most ambitious threshold set in the Paris accord.
G-20 talks in Italy yield pledge to fight hunger in Africa
Read full article: G-20 talks in Italy yield pledge to fight hunger in AfricaA meeting of G-20 foreign and development ministers has ended with officials vowing to join efforts to fight hunger in the world, especially in Africa, in the wake of the pandemic, as well as climate change.
High court backs Nestle, Cargill in child slave labor suit
Read full article: High court backs Nestle, Cargill in child slave labor suitThe Supreme Court has sided with food giants Nestle and Cargill and thrown out a lawsuit that claimed they knowingly bought cocoa beans from farms in Africa that used child slave labor.
WTO chief calls for diversification of vaccine production
Read full article: WTO chief calls for diversification of vaccine productionThe head of the World Trade Organization says it is of paramount importance to diversify vaccine manufacturing and to have more production taking place in Africa and Latin America to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
Republic of Congo candidate hospitalized with COVID-19
Read full article: Republic of Congo candidate hospitalized with COVID-19FILE - In this Friday March 19, 2021 file photo, supporters of opposition presidential candidate Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas cheer during their party's last rally of the presidential campaign in Brazzaville, Congo. Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas, the leading opposition presidential candidate in Republic of Congo, was receiving oxygen at a private hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, a family member said. The announcement late Saturday March 20, 2021 comes on the eve of the presidential election. (AP Photo/Christ Kimvidi, File)BRAZZAVILLE – The leading opposition presidential candidate in Republic of Congo was receiving oxygen at a private hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, a family member said, casting Sunday's election into doubt on the eve of the vote. Republic of Congo has had fewer than 10,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, with 134 confirmed deaths.
Vaccine roll-out gaps a core concern for G-20 countries
Read full article: Vaccine roll-out gaps a core concern for G-20 countriesIndian villagers carry their belongings on their heads and walk towards their village on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. Daniele Franco told a virtual news conference after the meeting of finance ministers and central bank chiefs of the G-20 economies that a core priority for the group is “to grant equitable access” to safe vaccines. “We will not get back to our normal lives until the virus is eradicated in all countries,” Franco said. Economy and finance ministers will check in on progress on issues in July in Venice, and a global summit is planned for October. Climate change and tax policy are on the agenda for July.
Biden's pick for UN post calls China 'a strategic adversary'
Read full article: Biden's pick for UN post calls China 'a strategic adversary'United States Ambassador to the United Nations nominee Linda Thomas-Greenfield testifies during for her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Washington. Johnson asked her why she had said the United States is not in a new Cold War with China. “This speech is cheerleading for the Chinese Communist Party” and makes no mention of China’s human rights violations, he said. Johnson asked her what the stronger language and tougher tactics would be toward China. “And yet, I had an extraordinary 35-year career, that culminated as the assistant secretary of state of African affairs,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
50 countries vow to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030
Read full article: 50 countries vow to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030(Joe Giddens/PA via AP)PARIS – At least 50 countries committed to protecting 30% of the planet, including land and sea, over the next decade to halt species extinction and address climate change issues, during a global summit Monday aimed at protecting the world's biodiversity. About 30 leaders, government officials and heads of international organizations participated in the One Planet Summit, which was being held by videoconference because of the coronavirus pandemic. During his campaign, Biden pledged to better protect biodiversity by preserving 30% of American lands and waters by 2030. Another initiative involves a new coalition of Mediterranean countries working to better protect the sea from pollution and overfishing. ___Follow all AP coverage of climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/Climate.
UN chief warns `vaccine nationalism' is moving at full speed
Read full article: UN chief warns `vaccine nationalism' is moving at full speedVolunteers wait to be checked at a vaccine trial facility set at Soweto's Chris Sani Baragwanath Hospital outside Johannesburg, South Africa, Monday Nov. 30, 2020. Over 2000 South African volunteers are on AstraZeneca's experimental coronavirus vaccine trial. The U.N. chief reiterated his call for vaccines to be treated as “a global public good,” available to everyone, everywhere on the planet, especially in Africa. In the United States, the Pfizer vaccine could get a green light for emergency use in the coming days and the Moderna vaccine in the coming weeks. “There are several vaccines in the pipeline for COVAX, and it is perfectly possible to deliver if the financing is guaranteed.”
Africa CDC sees COVID-19 vaccinations in 2nd quarter of 2021
Read full article: Africa CDC sees COVID-19 vaccinations in 2nd quarter of 2021The director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, told reporters that “I have seen how Africa is neglected when drugs are available” in the past. And he warned that “it’s clear the second wave (of infections) is here on the continent” of 1.3 billion people. He cited such logistics in his prediction for when vaccinations in Africa will begin. "The worst thing we want for the continent is for COVID to become an endemic disease” in Africa, he said. It could take more than $5 billion to roll out a COVID-19 vaccine in Africa to priority populations alone, the WHO says — and that doesn't include the costs for delivering the vaccines.
Diplomats: Rockets fired at Eritrea amid Ethiopian conflict
Read full article: Diplomats: Rockets fired at Eritrea amid Ethiopian conflictNAIROBI – Rockets were fired at Eritrea's capital on Saturday, diplomats said, as the deadly fighting in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region appeared to spill across an international border and bring some of observers' worst fears to life. At least three rockets appeared to be aimed at the airport in Eritrea's capital, Asmara, hours after the Tigray regional government warned it might attack. It has accused Eritrea of attacking it at the invitation of Ethiopia's federal government since the conflict in northern Ethiopia erupted on Nov. 4. Eritrea is one of the world's most reclusive countries, and no one on the ground, including the information ministry, could immediately be reached. Tigray regional officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Timeline: Ethiopia's Nobel Peace Prize to brink of civil war
Read full article: Timeline: Ethiopia's Nobel Peace Prize to brink of civil warKAMPALA – Ethiopia's federal troops for almost a week have been battling troops loyal to the Tigray regional government, raising fears of civil war in Africa's second most populous country. Just a year ago, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for his dramatic political reforms. Abiy also shocked the region by making peace with neighboring Eritrea after a border war, and promoting similar efforts in the wider Horn of Africa. OCTOBER 2019: A NOBEL PEACE PRIZEThe following year, Abiy was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his sweeping reforms. The Tigray region defied the federal government by holding a local election, leading to the current situation where each government now regards the other as illegal.