Africa

Senegal's presidential election is delayed amid unrest

6:24pm February 06, 2024

by Ayen Bior

In Senegal, a delayed presidential election is causing concern for the future of its democracy. The delay was ratified in parliament amidst scenes of chaos — scenes that were mirrored on the streets.

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Senegalese riot police lob tear gas at supporters of opposition presidential candidate Daouda Ndiaye, in Dakar, Senegal, on Sunday.

World News

Senegal's parliament delays presidential election until December

7:23pm February 05, 2024

by The Associated Press

Opposition lawmakers were forcefully removed from the chambers as they debated President Macky Sall's decision to delay the election. Authorities blocked mobile internet access amid growing protests.

Nigeria's global superstar Burna Boy (center) is nominated in the new Grammy category "best African music performance." Nominees are all from Nigeria or South Africa. Other African musicians feel neglected. Mulatu Astatke (left) is a pioneer of Ethio-jazz in Ethiopia, which has never earned a Grammy nod. North African musicians have rarely been nominated. At right: Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi.

New Grammy category for African music ignores almost all of Africa

10:12am February 04, 2024

by Ian Brennan

Grammy is unveiling an award for "Best African Music Performance." Do the nominees fulfill the goal of "recognizing recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the ... continent"?

FILE - Namibia President Hage Geingob speaks during a plenary session at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, on Dec. 1, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Namibian president has died in a hospital where he was receiving treatment, his office said Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024.

World News

Namibian President Hage Geingob dies in a hospital where he was receiving treatment

2:17am February 04, 2024

by The Associated Press

In a post on the social media platform X the Namibian presidency said Geingob's medical team at Lady Pohamba Hospital did its best to help him, but Geingob died with his wife and children by his side.

In this image made from video, firefighters work on a fire in Nairobi, Kenya, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024.

World News

A fire set off by a gas explosion in Kenya kills at least 3 people and injures 280

5:06am February 03, 2024

by The Associated Press

Liquid petroleum gas cylinders exploded in an illegal depot in a residential area of the Kenyan capital, officials said Friday, setting off the inferno. The death toll was expected to rise.

Supporters of the Alliance Of Sahel States (AES) drive with flags as they celebrate Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Niamey on January 28, 2024.

World News

After the coups, West Africa's Brexit moment

6:25am January 31, 2024

by Emmanuel Akinwotu

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have severed ties from a key West African bloc. Four things you need to know about what the break means for a region destabilized by coups and rising jihadist violence.

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Life-saving malaria vaccine rolls out in Cameroon

9:28am January 25, 2024

The Central African nation of Cameroon kicked off the world's first routine childhood vaccine program for malaria this week.

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In Africa, world health officials roll out first routine malaria vaccine

5:36pm January 24, 2024

by Nurith Aizenman

Cameroon has officially rolled out the first malaria vaccine approved for routine vaccination, targeting children 6 months and older. It reduces severe disease by 30% among young kids.

Secretary Blinken's agenda as he travels Africa

5:05pm January 23, 2024

by Emmanuel Akinwotu

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Africa on his fourth tour of the region. The Unites States is looking to emphasize the positive, not the elephant in the room — China.

The potentially fatal disease diphtheria is caused by bacteria — the club-shaped, Gram-positive, Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacilli shown in this microscope photo.

Health & Safety

Why diphtheria is making a comeback

7:30am January 23, 2024

by Simar Bajaj

With an effective vaccine, cases of the potentially fatal disease plummeted. But West Africa is now seeing thousands of new cases and hundreds of deaths.