The Insider

Addis Ababa (Reuters + Diplomat.so) - Rebellious forces from the Tigray region killed 120 civilians over two days in a village in Ethiopia's Amhara region, local officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP + Diplomat.so) — A new study suggests that a Sinopharm vaccine offers poor protection from COVID-19 among the elderly, raising questions for dozens of countries that have given the Chinese company's shots to their most vulnerable populations.

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP + DIPLOMAT.SO) — The southern African nation of Zimbabwe is sending a Black swimmer to the Olympics, the first from her country to go the Games.

Johannesburg (AP + Diplomat.so) - In one of the largest deployments of soldiers since the end of white minority rule, 25,000 South African troops began taking up positions Thursday to help quell weeklong riots sparked by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma. At least 117 people have been…

Mogadishu (Diplomat.so) - The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission of Somalia held its fourth meeting today to expedite its duties following the Commission's 4 May election. The meeting discussed the Commission's Regulations, Code of Conduct, and the six-month Strategic Action Plan as well…

Mogadishu (Hiiraan Online + Diplomat.so) - The body of Bashir Gabobe, a Somali-American engineer and entrepreneur, was found nearly 200km from Nairobi in a morgue on May 22, almost eleven days after being reported missing by his family and friends.

New Delhi (AP + Diplomat.so) - India on Wednesday reported more coronavirus deaths in a single day than any other country at any time during the pandemic, while infections continued to spread through vast rural areas with weak health systems.

Juba (Diplomat.so) - The President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, issued today a republican decree appointing members of the Transitional National Legislative Council, in implementation of the clause to re-form the parliament in accordance with the peace agreement.

Mogadishu (Diplomat.so) – The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), James Swan, condemned yesterday's attacks against the Somali National Army bases in Barire and Awdhegle towns in Lower Shabelle…

Mogadishu (Diplomat.so) - The Somali National Army repulsed, on Saturday morning, a surprise attack by Al-Shabaab, affiliated with Al-Qaeda, on two military bases in the towns of Barire and Awdhegle in Lower Shabelle region, southwestern Somalia.

Niamey (Reuters + Diplomat.so) - Mohamed Bazoum said he would make education and security a priority as he took over as president of Niger on Friday, inheriting a state racked by political tension and an Islamist insurgency that has killed more than 300 people this year.

Khartoum (Reuters + Diplomat.so) - Sudan on Tuesday launched a coronavirus vaccination roll-out, giving priority to medical workers, state news agency SUNA said.

Mogadishu (Diplomat.so) - The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) welcomes the news that like many other countries in Africa, Somalia will soon become a recipient of the COVID-19 vaccines and the first COVID-19 vaccination rollout is expected to begin immediately.

New York (Reuters + Diplomat.so) - The United Nations said on Thursday it is "now abundantly clear to all" that Eritrean troops are operating throughout Ethiopia's northern Tigray region and "well-corroborated" reports suggest they are responsible for atrocities.

Mogadishu (Diplomat.so) - Eyewitnesses reported that many Somalis suffer from new symptoms of the emerging coronavirus, which affects most members of the same family, forcing them to receive treatment in the hospital.

Brussels (Diplomat.so) - The European Council today added 19 leading Venezuelan officials to the list of those subject to restrictive measures, due to their role in acts and decisions undermining democracy and the rule of law in the country, or as a result of serious human rights violations.

Nairobi (Reuters + Diplomat.so) - Clean water supplies are running short in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region where a conflict has left infrastructure damaged and looted, equipment stolen and a dam inoperative, a state-run news agency said on Wednesday.

Johannesburg (Reuters + Diplomat.so) - African countries will pay between $3 and $10 per vaccine dose to access 270 million COVID-19 shots secured this month by the African Union (AU), according to a draft briefing on the plan prepared by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and provided to…

Mogadishu (Agencies + Diplomat.so) - Somalia's Information Minister Osman Abukar Dubbe on Tuesday denied claims that hundreds of Somali soldiers have been killed while fighting alongside the Ethiopian army against the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

Washington (Agencies + Diplomat.so) - President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be the next Director of National Intelligence has said she intends to release an unclassified report to the United States Congress on the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.