JOHANNESBURG, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Africa's confirmed cases of COVID-19 have surpassed 1 million, a Reuters tally showed on Thursday, as the disease began to spread rapidly through a continent whose relative isolation has so far spared it the worst of the pandemic.

ABIDJAN, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said on Thursday he would seek re-election in October, formally accepting the ruling party's nomination to be its candidate and defying opponents who say the constitution forbids a third term.

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said on Thursday he would seek re-election in October, formally accepting the ruling party's nomination to be its candidate and defying opponents who say the constitution forbids a third term.

(Reuters) - Athletes testing positive for recreational drugs out-of-competition will be banned by the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) for 1-3 months instead of two years when the policy is changed next year, officials said on Thursday.

Aug 6 (Reuters) - Athletes testing positive for recreational drugs out-of-competition will be banned by the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) for 1-3 months instead of two years when the policy is changed next year, officials said on Thursday.

DAKAR (Reuters) - A boat carrying around 40 migrants and refugees has sunk off the coast of Mauritania, leaving only one survivor, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said on Thursday.

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria will reopen for international air travel in a matter of weeks, the aviation minister said on Thursday, without giving a specific date for the resumption after months of closure due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

CAIRO, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Egypt and Greece signed an agreement on Thursday designating an exclusive economic zone in the eastern Mediterranean between the two countries, an area containing promising oil and gas reserves, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The chemicals that went up in flames in Beirut's deadliest peace-time explosion arrived in the Lebanese capital seven years ago on a leaky Russian-leased cargo ship that, according to its captain, should never have stopped there.