Newscast - Africa

The Indian government says it will re-open for tourists from October 15 after being closed for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The country famous for the Taj Mahal, desert palaces, tiger reserves, elephants and beaches had barred all foreign tourists in March 2020 in a strict lockdown when the pandemic took off.
The home ministry in a statement says Tourist visas will be granted for foreigners arriving on charter flights from October 15, and on other flights from November 15,
It stressed that all Covid-19 protocols should be adhered to by the foreign tourists, carriers bringing them into India and all other stakeholders at landing stations.

The Premier League says the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United has been approved,
The Premier League in a statement says following the completion of the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ Test, the club has been sold to the consortium with immediate effect.
The deal went ahead despite warnings from Amnesty International that it represents sports washing of the Gulf kingdom’s human rights record.
It brings to an end Newcastle’s 14 years of ownership under Mike Ashley.

South Africa, Kenya, Brazil and Mexico have been taken off England's Covid travel red list, meaning travellers from these countries no longer have to quarantine in an approved hotel at their cost for 10 full days.
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says the changes begin on Monday and mark the next step in opening travel.
All arrivals will still complete a passenger locator form.
The UK government sets Covid travel rules for England. Devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will announce any changes to their rules in due course.

President Mnangagwa says Zimbabweans should buy locally manufactured products given the significant growth of the manufacturing sector that has seen an increase in capacity utilisation and ease of doing business anchored by the National Development Strategy.
He says the economy has registered significant growth in agriculture, mining, finance and other sectors, resulting in an upward growth trajectory buoyed by a good agricultural season, firm international mineral commodity pieces and stable inflation and exchange rates and containment of the Covid-19 pandemic.
President Mnangagwa urged industrialists to broaden their research and development towards increasing the range and variety of 'Made in Zimbabwe' products.

The World Health Organization is recommending the widespread use of the world's first malaria vaccine, in what the UN health agency's chief described as a historic day for the decades-long battle against the deadly disease.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control.
WHO regional director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti, says today's recommendation offers a glimmer of hope for the continent which shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease and they expect many more African children to be protected from malaria and grow into healthy adults.

The federal government accused some broadcast media organisations of lending their platforms to some disgruntled elements whose stock-in-trade is to promote hatred and disunity among Nigerians.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed says divisive and hate messages, as well as misinformation being peddled by certain broadcast media, constitute a great risk.
He called on broadcast organizations to continue to leverage their power and reach to foster national unity and development.

Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano says President Muhammadu Buhari has foreclosed a possible declaration of a state of emergency in Anambra State ahead of the November 6, 2021 governorship election in the state.
Obiana declared that the reported threat of a possible state of emergency in his state was not President Muhammadu Buhari’s idea.
The governor says he wondered why Malami had not mooted the idea of emergency rule in some Northern states, where he observed there had been a lot of killings.

President Muhammadu Buhari says that Nigerians have a right to be concerned about recent borrowings by the Federal Government.
He, however, stated that the debt level of the present administration was within sustainable limits.
The President says that the debt level of the Federal Government is still within sustainable limits. Borrowings are targeted at specific strategic projects and can be verified publicly.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says where the president comes from has never been the solution to the series of problems facing the nation.
He stated that the next president can come from any region as the Peoples Democratic Party moves to reclaim power at the centre in 2023.
Atiku says the people of Nigeria also have the right to determine who governs them.
He added that where the president comes from has never been the problem of Nigeria neither will it be the solution.

President of Commonwealth Medical Association, Dr Osahon Enabulele, has emerged as the President-elect of the World Medical Association.
His emergence comes after almost one week of voting by participating medical associations from various countries across the world.
Dr Enabulele, a former President of the Nigerian Medical Association, takes over from Dr Heidi Stensmyren of Sweden as the President-elect of the association.
He vied for the position with Dr Muhammad Nizami, a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and President of the Pakistan Medical Association.