Four independent United Nations human rights experts today called on the Government of Zimbabwe and the international community to do more to rebuild the country's health system, end the worst cholera epidemic ever recorded there and ensure adequate food for all people as millions face hunger.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday approved urgent humanitarian relief materials in support of South Africa 's efforts to take care of the influx of Zimbabwean refugees and the outbreak of cholera.The President disclosed the approval at a farewell audience with the out-going High Commissioner of South Africa, Mr. Bangumzi Sifingo , in State House.

Nirobi: In a secluded house just outside the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, a group of men and women meet at least once a week to worship in secret.

Their prayer session is simple and conducted in Somali. Elders take turns to pray or read verses from the Somali bible before a sermon is delivered.

Nairobi (Kenya): The UN children's fund (UNICEF) said on Saturday that a recent conflict in the town of Belet Weynein central Somalia needs humanitarian response due to massive displacement of people.

Nairobi: Food insecurity compounded by inflation and recent fighting between insurgents and government forces around the town of Beletweyne in central Somalia's Hiran region has led to a sharp increase in the number of street children.

Kampala (Uganda): The death toll from hepatitis E in northern Uganda has risen to 106, while 6,563 remain infected with the deadly viral disease, an official has said.

The Director for Clinical Health Services in the Health Ministry Kenya Mugisha was quoted by Daily Monitor on Wednesday assaying that the situation improved much after implementing a series of measures.

South Africa: South Africa's health department has launched an investigation after two tuberculosis drugs used for treating thousands of patients were withdrawn.

Pharmascript, which supplied state hospitals and clinics with the medication, has promised to replace drugs found to be sub-standard.

United Nations: More than 14 million people in the Horn of Africa need food aid because of drought and rocketing food and fuel prices, the United Nations has warned.

Nairobi: At a time of drought, skyrocketing food prices, crippling inflation and intensifying street fighting, many of the aid workers upon whom millions of Somalis depend for survival are fleeing their posts - or in some cases the country.

Brussels: European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso faced a revolt on Thursday by many European Union governments over his plan to use about 1 billion euros in unspent farm funds to help African farmers.

Lagos (Nigeria): The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Tuesday in Abuja said over 1 million infants die yearly in Nigeria while nearly a third of the children under five years of age are underweight, reported This Day newspaper on Wednesday.

Somalia: Officials in Somalia's Middle Shabelle Region have raised the alarm over the plight of a community of drought-stricken hunter-gatherers there, who are in urgent need of food and water.

Nairobi: About 1.2 million Kenyans are facing famine and require emergency food assistance, a U.S.- St funded famine early warning system has warned recently.

Somalia: Up to twenty children have died of measles over the last week in areas of lower Shabelle region elders in the region confirmed on Monday.

Lagos: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has observed that African countries affected by soaring food prices would need at least a total of 1.7 billion U.S. dollars to revive their agriculture system, neglected for several decades, reported the Ghana News Agency.