U.S. President Joe Biden told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, Tuesday that the U.S. and its European allies have “deep concerns” about Moscow massing its forces near the Ukrainian border and would respond with “strong” economic sanctions if Russia invades its one-time satellite country, the White House said. In a readout after the leaders’ two-hour […]
Early signs suggest the Omicron Covid variant is more transmissible than the current Delta strain, No 10 has said. But the prime minister’s official spokesman added it was still too early to draw conclusions – and any impact caused by Omicron would also depend on whether it caused severe illness. There are currently 437 confirmed […]
The British government suspended visa applications from Nigeria on Monday in a move sparked by the omicron variant of the coronavirus. London’s travel ban on Nigeria took effect at 4 a.m. Monday, according to a statement from the UK’s Nigeria country office. UK authorities said the ban was deemed essential after 21 cases of the […]
Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, a former anti-apartheid fighter who, like the greats of the struggle he encountered, spent part of his life in Robben Island penitentiary in South Africa, died Monday at the age of 84. He died of a long illness at his home in Johannesburg, the ruling African National Congress said in a statement. […]
In the shadows of the coronavirus pandemic, violence against women has been on the rise around the world, including in South Africa, where half of the country’s women report at least one incident of violence in their lifetime. Now, a local tech company has developed an alarm system to help stop the abuse. A click […]
The US has announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in China – a move that has been heavily criticised by Beijing. The White House said no official delegation would be sent to the Games because of concerns about China’s human rights record. But it said US athletes could attend and would have […]
Ethiopian forces have recaptured the strategic towns of Dessie and Kombolcha from Tigrayan fighters, the government said, the latest sign of the government retaking territory it recently lost. Forces aligned with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) had taken control of the towns, in the Amhara region, just more than a month ago. “The historic Dessie city […]
Ghana has announced some tax incentives to 29 Belgian investors exploring business opportunities in the country. The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Herbert Kapa, in a keynote address at an information session on Business Opportunities in Ghana, said the incentives include renewable corporate tax holiday of five years after commencement of operations; total […]
Nigeria has criticised the UK’s travel restrictions after it was placed on the red list amid fears over the Omicron Covid-19 variant. “What is expected is a global approach, not selective,” Sarafa Tunji Isola, Nigeria’s high commissioner to the UK, told the BBC on Monday. He also echoed comments made by the UN’s chief, who […]
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has applauded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his recognition as the “African of the Year” by the Forbes Africa Magazine. Forbes Africa, one of the continent’s most influential business magazine, in its December 2021 to January 2022 edition, featured President Akufo-Addo and named him “African of the Year”. The […]
