Tag: Africa

Pfizer Study Deals New Blow to South Africa’s Vaccine Hopes

JOHANNESBURG—Scientists will meet on Thursday to advise South Africa’s government on its next steps after a study suggested the dominant local coronavirus variant may reduce antibody protection from Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine by two-thirds. The laboratory study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, dealt a new blow to the country hardest-hit by the pandemic…


Gunmen Kill Student, Abduct More Than 40 People in Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria—Gunmen attacked a school in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State early Wednesday, killing at least one student and abducting more than 40 people including students and teachers, according to officials. The gunmen, thought to be bandits, fatally shot one student during the attack at Government Science College, Kagara. They also abducted 27 students, three staff…


Photographer Catches Lucky Shot of Lion Seemingly With Cheetah’s Whole Head in His Mouth

This incredible photograph of a lion has people doing a double-take online. At first glance, in the picture, the lion appears to have swallowed the entire head of another large African feline, a cheetah. However, upon second glance, you can see that the image is actually an incredible optical illusion—incredible enough to have caused a…


Biden’s Policy Conditioning Aid on Protecting LGBTQI Rights Arouses Pushback in Africa

The Biden Administration’s new face toward Africa has revived a raft of priorities from the Obama years, including conditioning U.S. foreign aid on protections for gays and lesbians. On Feb. 2 President Joe Biden announced to African leaders in a virtual summit conference by zoom that the United States was “promoting” the rights of LGBTQI (lesbian,…


Biden’s Policy to Condition Aid on Protecting LGBTQI Rights Sparks Pushback in Africa

The Biden administration has renewed a range of priorities from the Obama years, expanding engagement worldwide to include conditioning U.S. foreign aid on protections for gays and lesbians. On Feb. 2, President Joe Biden announced to African leaders in a virtual summit conference on Zoom that the United States was “promoting” the rights of LGBTQI (lesbian,…


Guinea Declares Ebola Epidemic, Neighboring Countries Act

DAKAR, Senegal—Guinea has officially declared it has an Ebola epidemic after at least three people have died and four others have been infected in the West African nation. Neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia have put their citizens on high alert as the three West African nations battled the world’s deadliest Ebola outbreak from 2014 to…


At Least 60 Killed After Passenger Barge Crashes on Congo River

KINSHASA—At least 60 people died when a passenger barge carrying more than 700 people became shipwrecked on the Congo river at night, Democratic Republic of Congo’s humanitarian affairs minister said on Monday. Some 300 survivors had been found near the scene of the accident in Mai-Ndombe province in the west of the country, but another…


Guinea Declares New Ebola Outbreak

CONAKRY—Guinea declared a new Ebola outbreak on Sunday when tests came back positive for the virus after three people died and four fell ill in the southeast—the first resurgence of the disease there since the world’s worst outbreak in 2013–2016. The patients fell ill with diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding after attending a burial in Goueke…


Congo Officials Confirm 2nd Death From Ebola in the East

BENI, Congo—A second case and death of Ebola has been recorded in Congo’s North Kivu province, according to officials. The victim was a 60-year-old woman who died Wednesday in the health zone of Biena, according to provincial health minister Nzanzu Syalita. He said she had been to the same health post as the first victim….


Congo Officials Confirm 2nd Death From Ebola in Eastern Province

BENI, Congo—A second case and death from Ebola has been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province, according to officials. The victim was a 60-year-old woman who died Feb. 10 in the health zone of Biena, according to provincial health minister Nzanzu Syalita. He said she had been to the same health post…