Africa (except North Africa)

BAMAKO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The second round of legislative elections kicked off this Sunday at 8 a.m. GMT for Malian voters to choose the remaining 125 of the 147 deputies for Mali's National Assembly.

During the first round organized on March 29, only 22 deputies were elected, including 5 women, with a high rate of abstention due both to security problems in the north and center of the country and the spread of COVID-19.

ABUJA, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Abba Kyari, one of the closest advisers to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, died Friday after contracting the novel coronavirus, becoming the highest-profile casualty of the virus in Africa’s biggest economy.

Buhari named Kyari, a former chief executive officer of United Bank for Africa Plc, as his chief of staff in August 2015, and renewed his appointment after winning a second term in office.

Behind the scenes, he was regarded as one of the powerful politicians in the country of more than 200 million people.

WASHINGTON, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — International financial institutions and African leaders warned the continent needs tens of billions of dollars in additional money to fight the coronavirus pandemic despite debt freezes and massive pledges of support.

In a joint statement, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund said they had each contributed to the US$57 billion mobilized by official creditors to support healthcare and economic recovery on the world’s poorest continent, while US$13 billion came from private funds.

PRETORIA, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa refused to lift a ban on alcohol during a nationwide lockdown set to last until the end of April, brushing off a threat of court action from an industry body.

The sale of alcohol and cigarettes has been prohibited in South Africa since the start of the lockdown on March 27, sparking wide debate over the merits of such a move.

DAR ES SALAAM, April 17 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — Tanzania has canceled this year’s April 26 national holiday celebration commemorating the 1964 merger of Tanganyika and Zanzibar to become Tanzania as the country’s coronavirus tally rises.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said the Union Day observance was called off because of the pandemic.

Majaliwa said President John Magufuli is redirecting the $217,000 set aside for the holiday celebrations to go toward fighting the coronavirus in the country.

PRETORIA, April 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The South African government has refused a request from the beleaguered national carrier for $500m worth of emergency funding.

South African Airways now faces liquidation, with the possible loss of 5,000 jobs.

The airline has not turned a profit since 2011 and has received more than $1bn worth of bailouts over the past three years.

It has suspended most domestic and international flights because of the coronavirus pandemic.

MAPUTO, April 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — One of Brazil’s most wanted criminals has been arrested in Mozambique after spending more than two decades on the run, officials say.

Gilberto Aparecido dos Santos, known as Fuminho, is accused of running drug trafficking operations for one of Brazil’s most powerful gangs.

The 49-year-old was arrested in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, on Monday in an international sting operation.

It was carried out by Interpol, US drug officials and Brazilian federal police.

PRETORIA, April 13 (NNN-SANEWS) — African Union Chairperson President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr Donald Kaberuka, Tidjane Thiam and Trevor Manuel as the African Union’s COVID-19 Special Envoys.

The newly appointed envoys are tasked with mobilising international support for Africa’s efforts to address the economic challenges African countries will face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABUJA, April 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians to stay at home to stop the spread of the coronavirus, but the government has still not said whether it will extend a two-week confinement order on three states that ends Monday (April 13).

Residents in Lagos, Ogun and the capital Abuja have been confined to their homes, only allowed to leave for shopping trips, since March 31 in a measure to halt virus infections.

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo recorded a second Ebola death in days following more than seven weeks without a new case, the World Health Organization said on Sunday.

Congo had been due on Sunday to mark an end to the second-deadliest outbreak of the virus on record until a case was confirmed on Friday in the eastern city of Beni.

The outbreak has killed more than 2,200 people since August 2018 in an area of the country where militia violence hobbled efforts to contain it.