Novak Djokovic confirms he will defend his Australian Open title after receiving a medical exemption from being vaccinated against COVID -19.

In a bid to question the high rates of hospitalisation due to Covid-19, certain publications are claiming that actors are pretending to be patients. We take a look at one example in France and another false claim in Germany.

As French President Emmanuel Macron says he wants to "piss off" the unvaccinated people in his country to push them into getting Covid-19 vaccines, the head of the European Parliament’s Human Rights Committee tells FRANCE 24 that while she is unconvinced by the phrasing, "it's really important to have a higher rate of vaccination in Europe and elsewhere, to guarantee that we don't go back to lockdowns".

Mali's Ibrahima Koné may have scored the winning goal against Tunisia, but the man everyone's talking about is the referee, who blew his whistle too early and ended the game in confusion. Also on Day 4, Gambia make a triumphant entry into their first-ever AFCON tournament with a 1-0 victory against Mauritania, and Ivory Coast jump to the top of Group E after beating Equatorial Guinea. Alison Sargent is joined by James Vasina and sports editor Simon Harding from Cameroon to discuss all the action.

Ivory Coast soccer fans watching the African Cup of Nations are being greeted with rapid tests, masks and COVID-19 vaccines at dedicated fan zones, an initiative of the health ministry to spur vaccination. Officials say dozens of young people have been vaccinated at the Cup of Nations villages.

It will be a battle of the Eagles tonight in Garoua when Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia take to the pitch of the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in an Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 clashes. With a lot of history between Nigeria and Tunisia, many are expecting a very tough encounter, but Dennis Erezi’s guest analyst, Ifeanyi Ibeh says it’s going to be a very comfortable win for the Super Eagles against a Covid-depleted Carthage Eagles.

Teams in Cameroon are putting in their final preparations ahead of the last 16 matches which kick off on Sunday. Burkina Faso and Gabon will get the ball rolling as they go head to head in Limbé, while flawless Nigeria will take on Covid-hit Tunisia.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said COVID cases were falling in some states as more and more people get jabs. Meanwhile, China sealed off more neighborhoods in Beijing. DW has the latest.

A women-only motorcycle club is breaking gender stereotypes in Tunisia, organising rallies and events to encourage other women to ride.

More than 200 judges and lawyers in black robes protested Thursday outside the main court in the Tunisian capital after President Kais Saied vowed to scrap a key judicial watchdog.

Thousands of Tunisians have demonstrated in the capital after President Kais Saied granted himself new judicial powers in a decree. Saied can now unilaterally fire and block appointments of judges.

The mandate requires all employees in care homes, hospitals, doctors' offices and outpatient clinics to prove they are vaccinated against COVID-19. An emergency motion had attempted to delay its enforcement.