All Africa
First LookMiss World pageant empowers South Sudan's women to spread peaceAmid a violent five-year civil war, some young women are using international beauty pageants to advocate for peace, both at home and abroad, drawing attention to the plight of young girls in South Sudan.聽
As 'Black Panther' hits screens in Africa, 'the hero is all of us'In Marvel's depiction of Wakanda, many African fans see something rarer than vibranium: a big-screen image of Africa that defies Hollywood stereotypes.
First LookSevere water shortage prompts Cape Town to ask tourists to turn off the tapsAs Cape Town's water supply dwindles, the city's lucrative tourist industry reconsiders how to market the region to visitors. For many hotels and conference centers, reducing water consumption is now just another part of the tourist experience.聽
First LookTech-savvy Kenyan youth return home to farmIn Kenya, a country with the highest youth joblessness rate in East Africa, thousands of young people are returning home to rural areas to take up farming, although some still see the profession as undesirable.
First LookOff-grid solar energy takes root in West AfricaCompanies from around the world are working quickly to access West Africa's growing off-grid energy market. The movement is building an electric future for millions of residents in the region living outside of the grid.聽
In GMO debate, Uganda seeks to balance hope and fearAfter publicly supporting a bill that would have legalized genetically modified crops, Uganda's president is now calling for additional measures to address anti-GMO activists' concerns.
First LookSouth African parliament elects Ramaphosa as presidentFollowing a parliamentary vote that opposition parties boycotted, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in on Thursday. Mr. Ramaphosa is now tasked with rehabilitating his party's fractured image.
First LookZuma resigns after deluge of scandalsSouth African President Jacob Zuma announced his resignation late Wednesday after mounting accusations of corruption. The South African parliament is expected to elect Zuma's replacement, Cyril Ramaphosa, by the end of the week.
First LookAfrican reality show trains youths in farmingThe TV show aims to challenge prejudices surrounding farming-related careers to prove that agriculture can be fun and profitable by giving young people in聽Kenya and Tanzania plots of land to cultivate with a cash prize for the most productive.
Presidential limbo in South Africa: Why Zuma's appeal persistsThe African National Congress has been in power since the end of apartheid. Party leaders are keen to replace scandal-laden President Zuma ahead of their toughest election yet. But if frustrations with Mr. Zuma are telling, so is his lingering support.
First LookSouth Sudan hopeful at release of child soldiersMore than 300 child soldiers have been released and accepted back into their homes by their families. Although a sign of hope and peace, aid workers worry that renewed violence may cause children to be recruited again by armed groups.
Can foreign policy be feminist? Sweden says yes.Gender equality isn't just a domestic issue, according to Stockholm. It's an ideal that countries can help implement around the world 鈥� but not without wrinkles. Part 5 of Reaching for Equity: a global series on gender and power.
First LookZimbabwe issues 99-year leases to white farmersZimbabwe has implemented a new government policy that will grant 99-year leases to white farmers. Intended to聽mend relationships with white farmers after they were evicted by the previous administration, the policy aims to revive the country's agricultural聽sector.聽
Gambia's diaspora helped oust a dictator. Now they're asking: What's next?Tens of thousands of Gambians left the country during former President Jammeh's regime, and many helped garner support for his rival. One year into the new administration, they're carving out new roles, keen to rebuild the country.
First Look'Day Zero' looms over water-scarce Cape TownSouth Africans are slashing their water usage in the country's second biggest city as local reservoirs continue to shrink following months of drought. Cape Town has struggled to accommodate its 4 million residents and risks being the first global city to run dry.聽
In Cameroon's Anglophone crisis, a stitched-together nation pushes at the seamsEnglish-speaking regions of Cameroon have long claimed they are marginalized by its French-speaking majority. The escalating conflict echoes a dilemma testing Africa as a whole: how to integrate minority groups pushed to the periphery in countries mashed together by colonial powers.聽
First LookLiberia makes step toward zero tolerance of female genital mutilationActivists in Liberia are working to have female genital mutilation permanently banned. Considered a taboo topic, a newly enacted one-year ban by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is seen as an important step in changing perceptions about the fiercely protected rite of passage.
First LookUN returns to rebel-held South Sudan with new 'nimble' strategyThe United Nations is sending troops back to a base in Akobo, South Sudan. Instead of building a permanent presence in the rebel-controlled region, the UN is opting to fly in peacekeepers for a few days a week as part of its new approach.
First LookZimbabwe plans first election without MugabePresident Mnangagwa unveiled plans on Thursday to hold open elections in Zimbabwe in four to five months 鈥� the first elections since the ouster of former President Robert Mugabe.聽
For Senegal island's residents, famed slavery heritage site incurs a costVisitors have flocked to Gor茅e Island, with its memorial to the transatlantic slave trade, since UNESCO designated it a place of 'outstanding universal value.' But locals say the benefits haven't trickled down, echoing a common claim at World Heritage Sites.
