ACCRA -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has asked the military leaders in Mali to form a civilian-led transitional government to have sanctions imposed on the country lifted, according to the chairman of ECOWAS and Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

"We need a civilian leadership of the transition, and we have also made it clear that the minute that leadership is put in place, through the processes agreed on in Mali, the sanctions that have been placed against Mali would be lifted by ECOWAS," he said.

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NAIROBI -- Kenyan learners, teachers and school workers will be required to wear face masks at all times, maintain physical distance and check for COVID-19 symptoms daily once learning resumes before the end of the year.

"These guidelines apply to pre-primary schools, primary, secondary, adult and continuing education centers and teacher training colleges," says the ministry of education.

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BANGKOK -- Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said on Wednesday that the border checkpoints between Thailand and Myanmar are temporarily sealed in an attempt to curb possible COVID-19 infections and drug trafficking.

"Thai authorities have seized 28 million speed pills and 428 kg of crystal meth last month," said Defence Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Kongcheep Tantrawanit. "Narcotics were smuggled from neighboring countries through northern and western provinces to Thailand's central region."

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TALUQAN, Afghanistan -- Two people were killed and 12 others sustained injury as a blast rocked Kalafgan district in the northern Takhar province on Tuesday, police spokesman in the restive province Abdul Khalil Asir said Wednesday.

"The terrorists planted explosive device in the cavities of a motorbike and detonated it next to a medressah, or religious school, on Tuesday afternoon, killing two civilians on the spot and wounding 12 others, all civilians," Asir told Xinhua.