Nkengasong says Africa CDC is well placed to contain a recent surge in COVID-19 cases The African Union’s health watchdog has appealed for calm over Omicron, the new, heavily mutated coronavirus variant which has prompted many countries to impose new ... Read More

President Joe Biden has unveiled stricter Covid-19 travel rules as the US confirmed a handful of cases of the Omicron variant from coast to coast. Mr Biden said his plan "doesn't include shutdowns or lockdowns" and does not expand vaccine mandates. Cases ... Read More

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet addresses a news conference in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Dec. 1, 2021. The United Nations’ human rights chief has called for increased efforts to protect the vulnerable in Burkina Faso’s growing conflict with Islamist ... Read More

António Guterres – UN Secretary-General U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that southern African nations that first detected the omicron COVID-19 variant are being collectively punished with travel restrictions, and he urged “common sense” to respond to the new variant. "What's unacceptable ... Read More

Zimbabwe has announced a nine-hour curfew and compulsory 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving in the country, to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Zimbabwe is the first country in southern Africa to enact such restrictions since ... Read More

Canada's governing Liberals are moving ahead with plans for a national ban on conversion therapy Canada's House of Commons has voted unanimously to ban so-called LGBT conversion therapy. The legislation would make it illegal to have a child undergo the practice or ... Read More

People hold papers showing messages of "No More" as they protest against purported fake news during the send-off ceremony for new military recruits who are joining the Ethiopian National Defence Force in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nov. 24, 2021. Armed with placards ... Read More

Nigeria has confirmed its first cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in two travelers from South Africa. But Canada had already reported cases of the variant in Canadians who had recently returned there from Nigeria. The infections raise ... Read More

Stephanie S. Sullivan - U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Good Morning! I’m pleased to be here with you today to share this commemoration of World AIDS Day in La Dade-Kotopon.  I’m especially glad to share the spotlight with all of you, ... Read More

Vaccine-short Africa is hopeful of getting more COVID-19 doses, as a South African pharmaceutical firm is close to being the first in Africa to distribute them for sale across the continent. U.S.-based Johnson & Johnson says it could soon grant a ... Read More