Daily Podcast – November 26, 2021

26th November 2021

Daily Podcast – November 26, 2021

November 26, 2021.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

 

Making headlines:

South Africa questions UK flight ban amid global alarm over Covid variant

New daily infections almost double on back of confirmed new variant

And, Thousands protest in Sudan

 

South Africa questions UK flight ban amid global alarm over Covid variant

South Africa said on Friday a British ban on flights from six southern African countries over a new Covid-19 variant seemed rushed, as EU authorities prepared similar moves and the World Health Organization convened an emergency meeting.

Scientists have so far only detected the B.1.1.529 variant in relatively small numbers, mainly in South Africa but also in Botswana and Hong Kong. They are concerned by its high number of mutations which could possibly make it vaccine-resistant and more transmissible.

Britain said the variant was the most significant one found yet after banning flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia from midday.

 

New daily infections almost double on back of confirmed new variant

Meanwhile, new daily Covid-19 infections have almost doubled within 24 hours, on the back of a new variant being identified in the country.

The country recorded 2 465 new confirmed Covid-19 infections on Thursday, compared to the 1 275 cases on Wednesday.

There have been 114 new Covid-19 deaths, bringing the confirmed death toll to 89 771.

Gauteng recorded 1 950 new cases on Thursday, North West 132 and the Western Cape 98.

 

Thousands protest in Sudan

Tens of thousands of Sudanese protested in the streets of Khartoum and other cities, keeping up the pressure on military leaders after they struck a deal to bring back a civilian prime minister deposed in a coup one month ago.

Prominent political parties and Sudan's powerful protest movement have opposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's decision on Sunday to sign the accord with the military, with some calling it a betrayal or saying it provides political cover for the takeover.

Last month's coup raised questions over the future of the deal and efforts to end decades of internal conflict in Sudan.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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