The eastern DR Congo city of Beni closed its schools, markets and churches for 48 hours after three bomb attacks over the weekend sparked fears of further violence.
The attacks included the first targeting a Catholic Church building and the first suicide bombing in the region, which has declared a state of siege after a string of massacres carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces militia.
Beni Mayor Narcisse Muteba announced a curfew saying that everyone should go inside because we have information that something else is being planned.
Muteba also asked that anyone wanting to enter Beni carry their identity papers.
The army asked Beni residents to report any suspicious movement, to dissociate themselves from the armed groups and to rally behind the armed forces.

Rights group Amnesty International has expressed concern over Zambia’s deteriorating human rights record ahead of the 12 August election.
The organisation’s director for East and South Africa, Deprose Muchena, says the past five years have seen an increasingly brutal crackdown on human rights, characterised by brazen attacks on any form of dissent.
He says protests were being stopped with unlawful and lethal force amid intimidation against those who spoke about corruption allegations facing the regime.
Amnesty says the last five years under President Edgar Lungu have been marked by media censorship, use of excessive force by the police, arrests and detention, which have created fear.

Egypt has used the opportunity of a meeting of foreign ministers in Rome to talk to the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken about the controversial dam that Ethiopia is building on the Nile.
A tweet from Egypt's foreign ministry says that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was a major issue of concern
Ethiopia says the hydroelectric dam is vital to its development and could provide 65 million people with electricity.
AU-mediated talks aimed at negotiating an agreement between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, which is also affected, have stalled.
Egypt and Sudan appear to want commitments about the volume of water that Ethiopia will release.

There are concerns that the European Union's vaccine passport programme could exclude people who have been given a version of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine that was made in India.
The head of the African Union's vaccine delivery programme, Dr Ayoade Alakija, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that she hoped the EU exclusion was an administrative error.
She however says she was concerned that what it feels like here is there's a two-tier vaccine system.
The EU is set to introduce its Digital Covid Certificate on Thursday, but only four vaccines have been approved for inclusion.

The AFP news agency reports that the United States, Ireland and Britain have called for an emergency UN Security Council public meeting over the conflict-hit northern Tigray region.
Residents told the BBC that the forces had taken control of the streets and the airport. They also said they saw the Ethiopian military leaving the city during the day.
The Ethiopian government has not confirmed the loss of Mekelle but has declared a unilateral ceasefire.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he had spoken to the Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, and was hopeful that a cessation of hostilities would take place.

Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku has called for constitutional review as it concerns mining rights.
Mining is currently mostly under the Federal Government’s control under the law, but the Governor believes the exclusivity is worrisome and should be reviewed to promote the development of the sector.
He says Governors across the country have proffered solutions to the Federal government in order to have a win-win situation, but the Federal Government has paid deaf ears to their suggestions.
He says the mineral that is below the ground belongs to the Federal Government but they cannot go under the ground without calling on the landowner to access it

The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced the online continuous voter registration exercise where intending voters can register before they complete the process at a designated centre.
New voters can pre-register on the INEC portal while those who have registered in the past can access the platform to review their voter registration status.
Registered voters can also request for replacement of damaged or defaced Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) on the portal.
New voters are only required to fill the forms on the portal with their biodata and required documents, after which they are expected to visit an INEC state or local government office.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo blamed corruption and lack of transparency, among other factors, for poor contract negotiations in Nigeria.
The Vice President made the comment while addressing a two-day capacity building workshop for negotiators.
Vice-President Osinbajo cited the P&ID case and the Strategic Alliance Contract case where Nigeria is at risk of losing billions of dollars due to poor and shrewd negotiations of the contracts.
He called for proper negotiation by Nigeria in the ongoing discussion on climate change which he says should put into consideration Nigeria’s peculiar economic situation and needs of the citizens.

A reformist newspaper says a group of Iranian lawmakers are working on a draft bill that could further restrict access to the internet.
The bill calls for organising social media and the banning of virtual private network software used widely by Iranians to bypass internet restrictions and blocks imposed on several social media websites.
Etemad says internet users in Iran have expressed concern over the draft bill proposed by some conservative lawmakers, who hold the majority in parliament since 2020.
The newspaper added that the text also calls for jails terms of between 91 days and six months for anyone found guilty of violating the terms of the bill if it becomes law.
The Repeat offenders could also be fined, receive up to 30 lashes and be deprived of their civic rights.

Thailand will reimpose Covid-19 restrictions on restaurants, construction sites and gatherings in the capital Bangkok and its suburbs as it tries to contain a wave of coronavirus cases.
The government says in an order published Saturday that new restrictions will begin Monday and last for a month.
They include closing construction sites in Bangkok and surrounding areas, banning workers from leaving, prohibiting eat-in customers at restaurants, and restricting gatherings to a maximum of 20 people.
Checkpoints will be set up in Thailand’s southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla. Travellers must carry a letter of intent to leave or enter.