All Africa
First LookNew Congo president marks first peaceful transfer of powerFor the first time since independence 60 years ago, Congo's presidency has changed hands with no bloodshed.聽President Felix Tshisekedi has promised to curb corruption, but his critics question the legitimacy of his surprise victory.
As more Africans reach for web, more leaders reach for 鈥榦ff鈥� switchRestrictive governments in Africa are limiting web access more often precisely because internet use is booming. But that means blackouts bring more unintended consequences, too.
After Nairobi attack, Somalis in Kenya cautiously hope for unityAfter past terror attacks claimed by Al Shabab, which is based in Somalia, Somalians in Kenya endured harassment. Today, some community leaders hope campaigns to bridge those divides are paying off.
Sudanese protests test warming Western ties with a longtime foePresident Omar al-Bashir鈥檚 government has been rocked by weeks of protests. His regime, once treated like a pariah state, has become an important Western partner on anti-terrorism efforts and migration.
First LookHotel attack in Kenya over, terrorists behind act 'eliminated'Kenyan security forces gave the all clear a day after聽Somali terrorist group Al Shabab killed 14 people in a raid on a luxury hotel in the Westlands neighborhood, the latest attack in a bloody six-year campaign against the Kenyan government that has left hundreds of Kenyans dead.
First LookAfter seven years in prison, Ivory Coast's Gbagbo cleared of war crimesThe International Criminal Court has acquitted former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo of war crimes, sparking speculation that the controversial politician might return to the country and enter the 2020 presidential race.
First LookExtremists attack upscale hotel in Kenyan capitalThe Somalia-based Islamic extremist group Al Shabab claimed responsibility for an attack on a luxury hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, Tuesday. The same group carried out聽the 2013 Westgate Mall attack.
First LookAfter civil war, South Sudan begins hard task of rebuilding trustFollowing a fragile peace deal signed in September 2018 that ended five years of civil war, South Sudan's formerly warring parties work to reconcile, even as bouts of violence undermine diplomatic efforts and displaced residents remain wary of returning home.
In the Sahara, a vast emptiness etched with a thousand pathsTo two longtime Monitor correspondents on assignment, a step into the Sahara meant adventure. But to others, it can mean life and livelihood. To still others, it represents peril.
Why would anyone want to run this race?鈥� The question that prompted a storyMonitor writer Ryan Brown shares the story-behind-a-story of the "Unlikely Marathoner," a woman whose courage and generosity help the back of the pack finish South Africa's famous 56-mile Comrades Marathon.聽One in a series of monthly profiles of Monitor journalists and their most notable stories.
How Rwanda's Catholic clinics struck a contraception compromiseOften, religion can divide when it comes to policies like contraception. But in Rwanda, both sides have found a compromise even as their faith has led them in different directions.
Vowing to bulldoze corruption, Tanzania's president bulldozes dissentThree years after John Magufuli took office, activists and analysts say space for civil society and the opposition is shrinking rapidly.
The ExplainerTwo years, and counting: Why Congo鈥檚 long wait for elections mattersA long-delayed presidential election in Congo could lead to the country鈥檚 first peaceful, democratic transition of power. But on Thursday, officials delayed it yet again, casting further doubt on the integrity of a vote that has already seen violence and allegations of rigging.
In Rwanda, zippy drones deliver quick fix, but gloss over deeper needsNew technologies, like medical delivery drones, can offer quick solutions to urgent problems. But lost in the excitement are the infrastructure woes that make such deliveries useful in the first place.
Tanzania granted the largest-ever mass citizenship to refugees. Then what?Most refugees actually flee to the country next door. But those countries often are not wealthy 鈥� so even if they initially welcome refugees, the rest of the world has a role to play, too.聽Part 11 of聽On the Move: the faces, places, and politics of migration.
First LookWith new peace deal, South Sudanese cautiously look to the futureAs a peace deal signed in September has held, South Sudanese who couldn't imagine having long-term plans six months ago are now imagining a life without war.聽Military checkpoints have been removed and Bentiu's opposition governor is expected to return for good.
A reporter's backstory 鈥� finding a way to humanize a global crisisSeventy million people have been displaced by political violence, war, and persecution, emptying their savings and risking their lives to reach new lands.聽The Monitor told some of their stories in our series On the Move: the faces, places, and politics of migration, with 10 journalists covering more than a dozen countries.
Gay and out in rural Uganda? For some, it feels less impossibleThe tight-knit relationships of small communities can be difficult for people who feel they don鈥檛 fit in. But those same relationships can be the building blocks of acceptance, too.聽
ln Gambia, dreams of a less dangerous path to a future somewhere elseThousands of Gambians take the infamous 鈥渂ack way鈥� toward Europe each year. But others search for a legal route, hoping they can cross the world 鈥渂y love or luck or sheer ambition,鈥� Ryan Lenora Brown writes.
First LookNBA looks to Africa for new talent and fansAfter opening a regional office in South Africa eight years ago, the National Basketball Association is looking to continue engaging with Africa by training promising young people in academies, establishing a pan-African league, and hosting games in Africa.聽