All Africa
First Look鈥楶ray for our country鈥�: Kenya president asks for help to end droughtPresident William Ruto of Kenya has declared the first-ever national day of prayer on Feb. 14 as the region faces the potential of a sixth consecutive dry season. East African nations have been experiencing the worst drought in decades.
Blackouts darken South African government鈥檚 electoral prospectsWhen apartheid ended, the African National Congress promised reliable electricity and economic growth as dividends of democracy. Its failure to provide either makes the party vulnerable at the polls.
First LookAncient millets offer new hope for crop sustainability, says UNAs nations grapple with war, drought, and a changing climate, the U.N.鈥檚 Food and Agricultural Organization sees an opportunity to promote millets, a hardy, drought-resistant grain cultivated for millennia before it was replaced by wheat and corn.聽聽
First LookPope, Anglican, Presbyterian leaders speak out against anti-gay lawsThe three 海角大神 leaders said gay people should be welcomed by their churches, during an unprecedented joint airborne news conference returning home from South Sudan.
Ghana athletes aim to give Olympic water polo a new lookLike most aquatic sports, water polo has historically had few players of color. Former professional U.S. water polo player Prince Asante is working to change that, training players in Ghana with a goal of one day sending an all-Black team to the Olympics.
How a 鈥榟eadstrong historian鈥� is rewriting Kenya鈥檚 colonial historyGlobal narratives of Africa have long been shaped by Western perspectives.聽A growing number of homegrown digital heritage initiatives seek to disrupt that hold.
Difference MakerHow an all-women news outlet is changing Somalia鈥檚 media landscapeBilan, Somalia鈥檚 first all-women news outlet, looks for human stories often overlooked by Somalia鈥檚 male-dominated media and serves as an example of professional excellence to other Somali women.
First Look'People鈥檚 uprising': Somalian push against Al Shabab gains momentumSomalia is working to drive out Al Shabab, the Al Qaeda-linked extremists, in its most significant offensive against the group in a decade. Civilians are being encouraged to stand up to the extremists in what the government is calling a 鈥減eople鈥檚 uprising.鈥�
First LookAfrican activists voice concerns over leadership in UN climate talksAfrican climate activists are objecting to the U.N.鈥檚 decision to let an oil executive lead the next round of talks at its annual climate conference. It鈥檚 a 鈥渃onflict of interest,鈥� said Mithika Mwenda, PACJA鈥檚 executive director.聽聽
How a beach opens doors for Egyptians with limited visionEgypt has some of Africa鈥檚 most advanced legislation to empower people with disabilities. A beach in Alexandria implements it.
First LookMoney in a couch? South Africa's beloved president mired in scandal.South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, an admired anti-apartheid political figure credited with reviving the South African economy, has been exposed for hiding $580,000 in a couch cushion. The African National Congress will vote to decide his fate.聽
Somalia rallies grassroots to oppose jihadist Al Shabab. Will it work?Somalia has made surprising progress in its campaign against Al Shabab. Convincing people the jihadis are the enemy isn鈥檛 hard. The challenge is maintaining unity and solidifying gains.
鈥橈豢I won鈥檛 be ashamed鈥�: Nigerian women fight 鈥橈豢period poverty鈥�A Nigerian NGO is teaching rural women how to make reusable pads, the latest in a slow but sure reversal of outdated attitudes to menstruation.
First LookAs drought grips northern Kenya, human-wildlife tensions riseAs a historic drought grips Kenya and the U.N. prepares for its biodiversity conference, tensions are high between locals and wildlife. Elephants and other animals are wandering into villages in search of food, sometimes resulting in violent clashes.聽
鈥楩ire Mama!鈥� How women are rising through Kenya鈥檚 motorbike taxi ranks.A cost of living crisis and loosening gender roles among younger generations have pushed more women to don helmets as motorbike taxi drivers in Kenya.
First LookIn a democratic step, Sudan inks deal for a civilian-led governmentSudan鈥檚 coup leaders and its main pro-democracy group have signed a deal that would establish a civilian-led transitional government, despite missing key players.聽Facilitators from the US, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Britain helped negotiate the agreement.
鈥楾he ocean is what we know.鈥� Can Senegal woo climate refugees inland?Senegal鈥檚 plan to relocate residents from a flood-prone peninsula to a dusty, inland village offers a glimpse into how countries might manage climate refugees.
In Somali capital, a jihadist bombing tests a survivor鈥檚 limitsNot one suicide bombing, but two. That is what one Somali man survived. But his losses have been profound, testing his and Somalia鈥檚 resilience in the face of sustained jihadist attacks.
Somalia on brink of famine. Can new tools, timely aid avert the worst?Somalia鈥檚 worst drought in 40 years has sparked warnings from the U.N. of unprecedented catastrophe. While a functioning government is coordinating relief work, generosity is needed.
Whose land is it, anyway? Sierra Leone gives locals a voice.Small farmers in Sierra Leone who have never benefited from foreign mining projects on their land now have laws with which to enforce their rights.