Africa (except North Africa)

06 Feb 2022; MEMO: The African Union summit has cancelled a decision to grant Israel an observer status in the pan-African organization, an Algerian source said on Sunday.

Algeria is participating in the two-day AU summit, which opened in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday.

"The summit decided to abolish the decision to grant Israel an observer status at the AU," the source in the Algerian delegation was quoted as saying by the private Echorouk TV channel.

BAMAKO, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Mali could set a new date for elections after leader Assimi Goita asked lawmakers to review a transitional charter adopted after the first of two military coups that have upended the country's regional standing and relationships.

The transitional council met on Saturday for an extraordinary session to review the transitional charter, which expires this month. Adopted following the coup that ousted late former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020, it was supposed to pave the way for a return to civilian rule.

ANTANANARIVO, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Madagascar braced on Saturday for cyclone Batsirai to make landfall, with forecasters warning the storm could bring further devastation to the island nation just two weeks after another cyclone killed at least 55 people.

A local weather bulletin said the storm system was about 163 kilometres (100 miles) off the Indian Ocean island's eastern coast on Saturday afternoon and that landfall was expected at about 6 p.m. (1500 GMT).

Batsirai is packing wind speeds of 165 kilometres per hour (103 mph), the bulletin added.

CAPE TOWN, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Cape Town Regional Court on Friday denied the bail application of Zandile Christmas Mafe, the Cape Town man who is suspected of setting South African Parliament alight in January.

The 49-year-old, who is charged with housebreaking with intent to commit terrorism and arson, terrorism, arson and theft, could face life imprisonment if convicted.

The suspect was arrested on Jan. 2 after the fire broke out in the morning, with suspected stealing property after he gained entry to the parliamentary precinct without authorization.

KAMPALA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 7,000 Congolese refugees have so far crossed into Uganda following attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a top official said here Friday.

Esther Anyakun, Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees said in a statement that the refugees crossed into Uganda on Feb. 2 through the western Uganda district of Bundibugyo and were being handled and forwarded to refugee reception centers.

04 Feb 2022; MEMO: Somalia is facing a political standoff due to the country's delayed presidential and parliamentary elections, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Currently, Somalia seems to have taken a path that could see parliamentary elections on 25 February as agreed by Somali Prime Minister, Mohamed Hussein Roble, and regional leaders after almost a week of intense discussions.

However, there are sticking points, including allocation of 30 per cent seats in parliament to women.

Ouagadougou, Feb 4 (Reuters) - The army officer who seized power in Burkina Faso at the helm of a military coup last week has promised that he will work with the region's main political and economic bloc towards a return to constitutional order.

A delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met earlier this week with coup leader Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba and has called on the junta to rapidly propose a timetable for elections.

ABUJA, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Nigeria's financial crimes agency recovered at least $750 million in local and foreign currency linked to corruption and fraud last year, the minister of information said on Thursday.

Africa's biggest economy and energy producer, Nigeria has struggled for decades with endemic corruption among the political elite, who many Nigerians blame for widespread poverty in the country.

BISSAU, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The minister of tourism and spokesman for the government of Guinea-Bissau, Fernando Vaz, confirmed on Wednesday 11 people died during the failed coup attempt that took place in the country on Tuesday.

During a press conference, he specified that the dead included civilians, security guards and soldiers, calling the act "violent and barbaric".

BRAZZAVILLE, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- With only 11 percent of the population fully vaccinated in Africa, the vaccination rate on the African continent needs to increase six times to meet the 70 percent target set for mid-2022, warned Thursday the World Health Organization (WHO).