Zimbabwe tightens COVID lockdown after deaths of government ministers

We take a look at the tributes and the criticism of Colin Powell following his passing on Monday. We also look into why the coronavirus may be surging in Russia. Finally, the press is discussing the upsides and downsides of artifacts: namely a rock that’s managed, as Le Monde puts it, to “piss” off a French town.

Three-year-old Saba died from malnutrition in Ethiopia's Amhara last month. Conflict in neighboring Amhara has spread to the region, forcing thousands to flee their homes - carrying with them stories of hunger and brutality.

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo discusses why he set up a new political movement after his old party, the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), "lost its identity". Despite previously saying that he wanted to step back from politics, Gbagbo told FRANCE 24 that he hasn't ruled out running in the country's 2025 presidential elections and is firmly against a proposal that would disqualify presidential candidates who are more than 75 years old.

Libya has not managed to emerge from the conflict that preceded dictator Moammar al-Gadhafi's death on October 20, 2011. Parliamentary elections scheduled for December have been postponed.

Separatists accused the government of killing civilians in the strike that Adis Ababa said was targeting arms depots. Amid the turmoil, the UN announced withdrawing half of its staff from the country.

While his neighbors were busy clearing their land, John Ole Saeni decided to maintain part of the natural forest on his rural property. The retired teacher's efforts have created a little oasis for three zebras who would usually migrate to greener pastures.

Russian President Vladimir Putin orders a nationwide week-long paid holiday starting on October 30 to curb Covid infections amid record coronavirus deaths.

Emergency crews in Eswatini help people who were injured during pro-democracy protests, in which at least one person died and 80 others were injured. Eswatini security forces used live ammunition to break up a pro-democracy protest by nurses, shooting at least 30 of them, their union says.

Australia's second-largest city is expected to come out of lockdown despite an increase in infections. Meanwhile, Latvia is diving into a month-long lockdown.

Hundreds of school children stormed the Democratic Republic of Congo's parliament on Thursday (October 21) amid a strike by school teachers over unresolved issues related to the roll-out of government's free primary education program. Teachers went on strike at the start of the school year on Oct. 4 over several issues including salaries, bonus pay and retirement age, according to the Congo Teachers Union.

Melbourne reopened Friday after enduring one of the world's most prolonged series of lockdowns, with relieved residents of Australia's second-biggest city heading to bars, restaurants and for much-needed hair cuts.

In Perspective, FRANCE 24 looks at the past and present of one pocket of Southern Africa: the country of Angola. Paula Cristina Roque, who spent much of her Covid-19 lockdown penning a new book on Angola called "Governing In The Shadows", joins us from Lisbon to talk about her work.