Africa (except North Africa)

N’DJAMENA, Nov 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 22 people have been killed in southern Chad in the latest instance of deadly ethnic violence between nomadic herders and sedentary farmers, the communications minister said Friday.

A curfew was imposed in the Kabbia region where the fighting took place and 66 people were arrested following the incident on Monday and Tuesday, minister and government spokesman Cherif Mahamat Zene said.

The trigger for the violence was cattle theft, sparked by the animals trampling farmers’ fields, another official said.

NAIROBI, Nov 28 (NNN-KBC) — Kenya has once again been named the World’s Leading Safari Destination by World Travel Awards (WTA), further cementing her position as the global champion.

This announcement was made during the 27th Annual World Travel Awards Grand Final 2020, held to celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed again ruled out dialogue with the leaders of the defiant Tigray region Friday but said he was willing to speak to representatives “operating legally” there during a meeting with three African Union special envoys trying to end the deadly conflict between federal troops and the region’s forces.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s prime minister said Thursday the army has been ordered to move on the embattled Tigray regional capital after his 72-hour ultimatum for Tigray leaders to surrender ended, and he warned residents to stay indoors and disarm.

The statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office means tanks and other weaponry can now close in on Mekele, a city of some half-million people. His government has warned of “no mercy” if residents don’t move away from the Tigray leaders in time.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s prime minister is rejecting growing international consensus for dialogue and a halt to deadly fighting in the Tigray region as “unwelcome,” saying his country will handle the conflict on its own as a 72-hour surrender ultimatum runs out on Wednesday.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s military is warning civilians in the besieged Tigray regional capital that there will be “no mercy” if they don’t “save themselves” before a final offensive to flush out defiant regional leaders — a threat that Human Rights Watch on Sunday said could violate international law.

OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - Voters went to the polls in Burkina Faso on Sunday in a presidential election dominated by jihadist violence that has cost more than 2,000 lives this year and will prevent voting in hundreds of villages.

President Roch Kabore is seeking a second five-year term, campaigning on achievements such as free healthcare for children under the age of five and paving some of the red dirt roads that snake across the arid West African country.

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pleaded with Group of 20 (G20) leaders to ensure an inclusive global economic recovery when speaking at the virtual G20 Leaders' Summit on Saturday.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic hit Africa hard. "Economic activity on the continent is expected to contract by 3.2 percent in 2020, with the region falling into a recession for the first time in 25 years."

NAIROBI (Reuters) - COVID-19 has exposed Kenya’s debt vulnerabilities though official measures including monetary policy easing have helped shield the economy from the impact of the pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said late on Friday.

The Fund said it hoped a deal on a new lending facility for Kenya could be presented to its board in early 2021, noting that economic activity in the East African country was starting to pick up despite a drag from sectors such as tourism.

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least five people died on the spot and one was seriously injured on Saturday morning after two trucks collided head-on in Tanzania's northern district of Handeni in Tanga region, said police.

Blasius Chatanda, the Tanga regional police commander, said the two trucks burnt to ashes after the collision at Kitumbi area.

Each vehicle had three passengers and five of them were killed on the spot, Chatanda told a news conference.