25 December 2021
Sudan: Planned mass protests have prompted the authorities to restrict internet services in Khartoum, to close several bridges over the Nile and to warn protesters “against creating any disturbances”.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59789491
South Africa: Mandela's former prison guard Christo Brand intends to sell Mandela’s cell key at an auction in New York on 28th of January. But the South African minister of culture says the “key belongs to the people of South Africa”, “(i)t is not anyone's personal belonging”. Guernsey's had planned to auction it along other memorabilia like a Mandela painting, the exercise bicycle he used in prison and his tennis racquet.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59787369
South Africa: Africa's top cycling team Qhubeka NextHash will not be able to participate at the highest level in 2022. Struggling to find sponsors, they had missed a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) deadline to apply for a licence in October and their application has now definitely been rejected by UCI. “(A)s well as trying to develop African cyclists, (Qhubeka NextHash) also raises awareness and funds for Qhubeka, a charity which raises money to provide bicycles for young people across southern Africa.”
https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/59780212
24 December 2021
Covid-19: The US will lift the travel restrictions they had put on 8 southern African countries because of Omicron. With the variant now spreading fast inside the US, the restrictions are no longer any use.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59784259