Sudan Bans Travelers from India, Imposes COVID Curbs

Cargo containing a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is seen at an airport in Sudan. Reuters file photo
Cargo containing a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is seen at an airport in Sudan. Reuters file photo
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Sudan Bans Travelers from India, Imposes COVID Curbs

Cargo containing a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is seen at an airport in Sudan. Reuters file photo
Cargo containing a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is seen at an airport in Sudan. Reuters file photo

Sudan on Tuesday banned travelers arriving from India and imposed new coronavirus restrictions including closing schools, as coronavirus cases rise.

"Entry will be prevented for all travelers arriving directly from India or through any other country after having visited India in the past 14 days," said the country's ruling council in a statement.

Travelers from Egypt and Ethiopia will be re-tested upon arrival, it said.

India is experiencing elevated numbers of Covid-19 cases following the spread of a variant which has been classified by the World Health Organization as a "variant of concern."

Sudan has registered 34,707 Covid-19 cases including 1,116 fatalities as of May 16.

Authorities fear the virus caseload would exceed 100,000 during the first and second weeks of June if people fail to take the necessary measures, according to the statement.

"The Supreme Health Emergencies Committee ... ordered the suspension of all universities and schools for a month," it said.

Mass prayers and rituals will also be put on hold.

In March, the country began inoculating healthcare workers after receiving AstraZeneca vaccinations through the Covax initiative which provides jabs to poor countries.



Israel Military Says Completed Forward Deployment in South Lebanon

An Israeli Air Force F-15D Eagle fighter aircraft flies over the area of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon on April 7, 2026. (AFP)
An Israeli Air Force F-15D Eagle fighter aircraft flies over the area of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon on April 7, 2026. (AFP)
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Israel Military Says Completed Forward Deployment in South Lebanon

An Israeli Air Force F-15D Eagle fighter aircraft flies over the area of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon on April 7, 2026. (AFP)
An Israeli Air Force F-15D Eagle fighter aircraft flies over the area of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon on April 7, 2026. (AFP)

The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had completed the deployment of ground troops along a "defense line" in southern Lebanon, where it is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The military has not given any geographical details on the furthest point to which its soldiers have advanced into Lebanese territory.

Israeli media reported that the military did not intend at this stage to push troops deeper than around 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the Israel-Lebanon border.

"At this stage, soldiers have completed their deployment along the anti-tank missile defense line and continue to operate in the area in order to strengthen the forward defensive posture and remove threats to the residents and communities of northern Israel," a military statement said.

Defense minister Israel Katz has said on several occasions in recent weeks that Israel intends to establish a "security zone" in southern Lebanon extending to the Litani river, which flows as much as 30 kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border, in order to prevent rocket, drone or missile fire at northern Israeli communities.

The Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot reported that the military was expected to present to the government "an operational plan for controlling the first line of (Lebanese) villages as a deep security zone up to the anti-tank line".

Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing military sources, reported that the military was "preparing to boost its forces in southern Lebanon, but there are currently no plans to advance deeper into the country".

"The sources said the forces have reached what has been defined as the 'front line' outlined in the approved operational plans," Haaretz reported, adding that "this line includes southern villages located roughly 10 kilometers from the Litani River, an area under Israeli military control".

Haaretz reported that the current deployment was aimed at preventing anti-tank missile fire on northern Israeli communities.

These anti-tank missiles have an estimated range of around 10 kilometers.


Fighter from Iraq's PMF Killed in Strike near Syria Border

Archive: Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighters ride in a tank near the Iraqi-Syrian border in al-Qaim, Iraq. Iraq November 26, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani
Archive: Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighters ride in a tank near the Iraqi-Syrian border in al-Qaim, Iraq. Iraq November 26, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani
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Fighter from Iraq's PMF Killed in Strike near Syria Border

Archive: Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighters ride in a tank near the Iraqi-Syrian border in al-Qaim, Iraq. Iraq November 26, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani
Archive: Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighters ride in a tank near the Iraqi-Syrian border in al-Qaim, Iraq. Iraq November 26, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani

A strike killed a fighter from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Forces, in Iraq near the border with Syria on Tuesday, the alliance said, blaming the United States and Israel.

"At 4 am (0100 GMT) this morning the 45th Brigade... was subjected to a treacherous Zionist-American aggression in the Qaim district of Anbar province," the alliance said.

The strike resulted in "the martyrdom of one of the fighters of the 45th Brigade", which belongs to the US-blacklisted, pro-Iran group Kataeb Hezbollah.


WHO Suspends Gaza Operations After Contract Worker Killed

 Palestinians inspect the damage after a person was hit by an Israeli strike while riding a bicycle, according to medics, in Gaza City, April 6, 2026. (Reuters)
Palestinians inspect the damage after a person was hit by an Israeli strike while riding a bicycle, according to medics, in Gaza City, April 6, 2026. (Reuters)
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WHO Suspends Gaza Operations After Contract Worker Killed

 Palestinians inspect the damage after a person was hit by an Israeli strike while riding a bicycle, according to medics, in Gaza City, April 6, 2026. (Reuters)
Palestinians inspect the damage after a person was hit by an Israeli strike while riding a bicycle, according to medics, in Gaza City, April 6, 2026. (Reuters)

The World Health Organization announced it was suspending evacuations from Gaza after a worker contracted to help them was killed on Monday.

"@WHO is devastated to confirm that a person contracted to provide services to the Organization in Gaza was killed today during a security incident," the agency's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on X.

Two staff members were present at the incident but were not injured, he added.

"Following the incident, WHO suspended today's medical evacuation of patients from Gaza via Rafah to Egypt. Medical evacuations will remain suspended until further notice."

The United Nations health agency did not give details of what had happened, but Tedros said "the relevant authorities" were investigating.

"We call for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers," he added in his post.

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire that came into force on October 10 in the Gaza Strip, after two years of devastating war.