Africa StreaM

In tonight's edition, North Africa is in the grip of a severe heatwave, with temperatures nearing 49 degrees Celsius. Also, six years after the brutal killing of a 90-year-old woman accused of witchcraft shocked Ghana and the world, activists say the fight for justice remains far from over. And, the Kigali Cine Junction is bringing five days of screenings, workshops and industry discussions to audiences across Rwanda.

Ghanaian President John Mahama on Thursday called for an African Union (AU) debate to "formally address the escalating xenophobic attacks" on foreign nationals in South Africa. More than 160,000 foreign nationals have left South Africa and several have died over the past two months amid rising hostility against undocumented migrants.

The number of deaths in the current Ebola epidemic in the DRC has now topped 1,000, and the number of confirmed cases is around 2500. Experts are calling for more funding to help tackle the crisis as it becomes the fastest spreading outbreak ever recorded.

Salt harvesters in Senegal are once again seeing the world through rose tinted glasses. The famous Pink Lake is slowly finding its rosy colours four years after flooding almost destroyed its delicate ecosystem and the economy built around it.

With one year to go before Kenya's 2027 presidential election, human rights organizations are sounding the alarm. They are denouncing the rise of “goons”—henchmen recruited by political leaders to infiltrate rallies, sow chaos, and intimidate opponents. This is a long-standing phenomenon that has worsened significantly since the large-scale protests against William Ruto’s government.

In tonight's edition, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC has crossed a devastating threshold, with more than 1,000 lives lost. Also, in Kenya, human rights groups warn that political “goons” are increasingly being used to disrupt rallies ahead of elections next year. And, in Senegal, four years after devastating floods threatened the famous Pink Lake’s unique ecosystem, the lake is slowly regaining its iconic colour.

Senegal will support Macky Sall’s candidacy for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations. The announcement was made in a press release on Monday, three days after he was granted an audience with current President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Dakar, Aminatou Diallo.

After 17 years, the Nigeria military’s efforts to contend a jihadist insurgency do not seem to be successful. The military is facing fresh hurdles with foreign fighters, including those from the Middle East joining the insurgents. The foreigners are bringing skills and technology that have proved very valuable in the Jihadists’ fight against the military. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Lagos, Sam Olukoya.

Mali’s military has suffered one of its deadliest losses in years. At least 50 soldiers were killed in an ambush near the northern town of Anefis, in an attack claimed by Tuareg separatists and Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists. The assault is the latest in a string of setbacks, with militants also targeting Malian and Russian Africa Corps forces, downing a military helicopter, and briefly seizing territory. More with Hénio Nsaibia, West Africa Senior Analyst at ACLED.

In tonight's edition, a deadly ambush in northern Mali leaves at least 50 soldiers dead. Also, Nigeria is facing a new challenge in its fight against jihadist insurgents as foreign fighters join armed groups. And Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is backing former president Macky Sall's bid to become UN Secretary-General.

The UN refugee agency said Tuesday that 144 people were reported dead or missing following "tragic maritime incidents" off the coast of Mauritania last week. Two children who were brought safely ashore from one of the sinking boats had lost all of their families during the journey from Gambia.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Felix Tshisekedi has agreed to open national talks with the political opposition. The move comes as the Tshisekedi administration experiences intensified political pressure over its proposal to amend the constitution. The agreement to engage in an open dialogue marks a significant political step in a country where civil society groups have been calling for a national dialogue for over a year.

The 69th ECOWAS summit was held on July 19th in Freetown, Sierra Leone.The outgoing Chair of the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government, Julius Maada Bio, set the tone by calling for “far-reaching changes” within the West African economic organisation.The meeting was also marked by the Senegalese Head of State taking up the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, as well as by strong criticism from Guinea, which condemned the sanctions imposed by the organisation in recent years.

Tangier, Morocco's iconic port city and gateway between Europe and North Africa, is hosting the first edition of the International photography festival "Photo Tangier". This year's theme is "The Call of the Open Sea". The event will span two and a half months, from the 17th June to the 31st August, transforming Tangier into an open air creative space in which private galleries, museums, and public spaces come together as one big work of art.

The 46 children and teachers that were abducted on May 15th in southwestern state of Oyo were rescued and reunited with their families on July 10th. Since the dramatic abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, Nigeria has been hit with waves of mass kidnappings from schools. 27% of children in Nigeria are out of school, one of the highest rates in the world. The threat of abduction serves as one of the biggest obstacles to children pursuing their education.

In tonight's edition: Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye takes the helm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Also, nearly 19 million Nigerian children are out of school, as the threat of kidnapping is keeping many classrooms empty. Also, Tangier is celebrating the art of visual storytelling with the International Photography Festival.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday visited Algeria for the first time in four years in a bid to mend diplomatic ties between the two countries after they were frayed by a row over Western Sahara. In 2022, Madrid abandoned its neutrality stance over the disputed territory and backed Morocco’s sovereignty claim, angering Algiers. The thaw began last year, when Algeria reactivated a friendship treaty it had suspended over the dispute.

The Senegalese government on Monday made a U-turn, announcing it would back former president Macky Sall’s candidacy to replace UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres when his term expires. The government had previously declined to throw its weight behind Sall, whom it accuses of deadly political repression while in office, but reversed course after he paid the sitting president a visit in Dakar this weekend.

At least 50 Malian soldiers were killed and dozens more were taken prisoner in an attack by Tuareg separatists and jihadists, local sources told AFP on Sunday.