Africa News Tonight - VOA Africa

Aid agencies say half a million people living under blockades in Burkina Faso find themselves without humanitarian assistance because of a lack of funding and severe operational constraints. Fake images on the internet have been a concern for some time, but with Artificial Intelligence making it so much easier to produce fakes, many observers worry how it will affect elections in several African nations this year. A top Namibian health official says the country is set to begin distributing the HPV vaccine to adolescent girls as a preventative measure against cervical cancer.

Niger said it is ending its military cooperation deal with the United States, ordering American personnel to leave the country. There have been major disruptions to internet services across Africa, resulting in severe damage to economies in an era when many companies and individuals rely on connectivity to do business. Kate Schecter, head of the aid group World Neighbors, which works in low-income communities that are “the poorest of the poor”, says in many African countries, the top priority is food security.

A top U.S. delegation, including assistant secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee and the head of the U.S. Africa Command met with Niger’s ruling military junta. The State Department said talks included Niger's return to a democratic path and development partnership. David Monda, professor of political sciences at City University of New York discusses this with VOA senior analyst Mohamed Elshinnawi.

A landmark deal between South Africa and Zimbabwe to share infrastructure is expected to ease the supply of water to communities in both countries, which are separated by the Limpopo River. South Africa has been experiencing widespread water supply cuts, which experts blame on the government’s failure to upgrade and maintain infrastructure. Darren Taylor reports.

Many opposition supporters partied in the streets of Senegal Friday, in celebration of the release of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, and his key ally, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, from prison ahead of the presidential election later this month. Reporter Alpha Jallow described the scene in Dakar to VOA's Yeheyes Wuhib.

Senegal’s top opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, and his key ally, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, have been released from prison ahead of the presidential election later this month. Aid group Mary’s Meals says the future looks dim for millions of children in Ethiopia’s Tigray region as years of disruption, conflict, displacement, drought and disease have left families without livelihoods. U.S. expert says it’s paramount that diplomacy be escalated to get a cease-fire in Sudan and a negotiated settlement, and that citizens, who so far have been sidelined, should be at the center of any resolution.

The ripple effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have hit Africa hard. Many nations rely on Russia and Ukraine for critical imports, like wheat and fertilizer. Russian fossil fuel exports to Africa last year skyrocketed as producers found work-arounds to the sanctions. David Des Roches, associate professor at the National Defense University, discussed Russian maneuvers in Africa, including its support of authoritarian leaders, with VOA senior analyst Mohamed Elshinnawi.

Landlocked Ethiopia signed a deal with Somaliland that makes it the first nation to recognize the sovereignty of the semi-autonomous region of Somalia, in return for access to the Gulf of Aden. The accord triggered a diplomatic uproar, with Somalia saying it would defend its territorial integrity. With Kenya mediating, Ethiopia is considering scrapping the plan. Joseph Siegle, the director of research at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, tells VOA's Yeheyes Wuhib the dispute need not escalate.

The Space Telescope Science Institute, which runs the James Webb and the Hubble telescopes, that have produced some of the most stunning images of the universe, has a new boss: Dr. Jennifer Lotz. The Webb Space Telescope is the world’s biggest, most daunting endeavor to probe the earliest galaxies in the universe. VOA’s Carol Van Dam asked Lotz how she got her start in astrophysics, and what she would say to young African women and girls who are interested in astronomy.

The global ripple effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have hit hard in already-struggling African economies, but Moscow has moved to reduce the effects. Kenya is mediating in the dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia over Ethiopia’s agreement for port access with the breakaway Somaliland. South African police say kidnappings have quadrupled over the past decade, sparking fear in a nation already plagued by violent crime.