AFRICA

Kigali, Rwanda | AFP | Rwanda went into shutdown on Sunday, imposing some of the strictest coronavirus measures in Africa where infections are rising fast and hospitals ill-equipped to cope. The central African nation banned all “unnecessary movements”, mirroring steps by governments from the Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius to …

Conakry, Guinea | AFP |  Voters in the West African state Guinea were being called to the polls on Sunday for a bitterly-disputed referendum that critics say is a ploy by President Alpha Conde to stay in power. Conde is proposing a change to the constitution to codify gender equality and …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP |  In Chitungwiza, a town of half-a-million people south of Harare, several women are waiting at the water pump with large cans, concern etched on their faces, fearful of the growing threat of the coronavirus. “We can go for months without running water,” said one woman, especially …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia  | THE INDEPENDENT | In ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus and provide aid to afflicted communities across the globe, the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation has committed to donating 100,000 medical masks, 20,000 test kits and 1,000 protective suits to each …

Cairo, Egypt | AFP |  In Egypt’s overcrowded and putrid jails, families of prisoners fear a potentially catastrophic coronavirus outbreak and are calling for their imminent release as the rest of the country hunkers down. Egypt has halted family visits to inmates at least until the end of this month citing …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Sub-Saharan Africa recorded its second coronavirus death on Friday as infections rose in South Africa, where the government warned bluntly of a long haul in the fight against the disease. Despite stringent restrictions ranging from flight bans to school closures, countries south of the Sahara …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP |  African countries led by Nigeria and South Africa have ramped up action against the coronavirus after the continent recorded its first fatality. Nigeria said Thursday it would shut schools and limit religious meetings in its economic hub Lagos and capital Abuja, while South Africa, the continent’s …

Conakry, Guinea | AFP |  Guineans are set to vote Sunday on whether to adopt a new constitution, against a backdrop of mass protests against the move, coronavirus and possible internet cuts. After being delayed last month, the referendum also caps months of tension, occasional violence, and arrests, as critics see …

Paris, France | AFP | The lack of available tests for COVID-19 means the world is effectively fighting the pandemic blind and may not know the true extent of infection for months if not years, experts said Thursday. Because COVID-19 is so infectious — roughly 2.5 times that of the common …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | A legal complaint against Burundi was filed with a UN rights body on Thursday, over punitive actions taken against lawyers and activists who cooperated with a UN review of the country’s rights record. The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) filed a complaint with the United Nations Committee against Torture …