Africa News Tonight - VOA Africa

Africa News Tonight: The South African government says a six-member team of leaders from the continent will head to Russia and Ukraine in mid-June on a peace mission to end the war in Eastern Europe. Sudan's warring military factions clashed by air and on the ground in the capital Khartoum today, adding to the misery of residents struggling with limited food, water and medicine. And, Nigeria’s main labor groups - the Nigeria Labor Congress and the Trade Union Congress - agreed to suspend their strike scheduled to begin tomorrow over President Bola Tinubu's decision to end the fuel subsidy. For this and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!

Africa News Tonight: Many Nigerians are complaining about the hardships they're facing after President Bola Tinubu ended the fuel subsidy, sending prices soaring. Citizens of Guinea Bissau voted yesterday in a highly anticipated election to fill the country’s national legislature, more than a year after President Umaro Sissoco Embalo dissolved parliament. And, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will travel to Tunisia tomorrow, looking to make progress in unblocking loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the north African state. For this and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!

Africa News Tonight: Citizens of Guinea Bissau voted yesterday in a highly anticipated election to fill the country’s national legislature, more than a year after President Umaro Sissoco Embalo dissolved parliament. Senegal has been rocked by three days of violent protests in which 16 people have died, one of its deadliest bouts of civil unrest in decades. And, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Sudan already face or are projected to face starvation or risk a slide “toward catastrophic conditions," the World Food Program warns. For this and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!

A prominent traditional leader in Cameroon’s troubled northwest region has been rescued by the military after 18 months of being held captive by separatists. On June 4, citizens of Guinea-Bisseau will go to the polls to elect representatives to the National People’s Assembly. And, the World Health Organization says 28 million people are currently suffering from cholera in East and southern Africa amidst a recent surge. For these stories and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!

Protests continued in Dakar, Senegal, a day after a court convicted opposition leader Ousmane Sonko of “corrupting youth,” a lesser offense than the rape charges he faced. Senegalese officials said nine people were killed in the violent protests Thursday. On Friday, the army was deployed in response. Dakar-based reporter Alpha Jallow told VOA’s Carol Van Dam that Sonko's young supporters are angry because the lesser charge could prevent Sonko’s presidential run next year.

A Senegalese official has announced that nine people were killed in protests in the capital Dakar, a day after a court convicted opposition leader Ousmane Sonko of "corrupting youth" and sentenced him to two years in prison. Suspected islamist militants attacked a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo yesterday, leaving several people dead. And, residents of Khartoum took shelter today, as fighting has ramped up following the failure of negotiations and the collapse of a U.S.- and Saudi-brokered cease-fire. For these stories and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!

Zimbabwe’s ruling party-dominated National Assembly has passed a “Patriotic Act” bill, despite spirited objections from opposition legislators, who say the laws will unjustly criminalize dissent. Libya’s acting Interior Minister Emad Trabelsei has admitted that clashes recently occurred between two government-associated groups in Tripoli. And, in South Africa, a judge is expected to soon rule on a request that would, in theory, compel the government to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he was to visit the country. For these stories and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!

The United States says it will impose economic sanctions and personal visa restrictions on leading combatants in Sudan, following a break-down in cease-fire discussions between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Tunisia’s Magistrates Association is protesting against the degradation of the rule of law, marking the anniversary of President Kais Saied firing 57 judges. And, Human Rights Watch have accused Amhara forces and regional governments of continuing an ethnic cleansing campaign against Tigrayans after a truce agreement was signed in November 2022. For these stories and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!

In Malawi, hundreds of people who were forcibly relocated to the country’s only refugee camp are complaining of poor conditions, with no food, clean water, or shelter. With inflation already at a decades-long peak, Nigerians are worried about higher inflation on the back of new President Bola Tinubu’s recent pledge to end petrol subsidies. And, cease-fire talks between Sudan’s warring parties have stalled after the army said it would suspend its participation. For these stories and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!

Shelling continued in Khartoum today as the Sudanese army pulled out of cease-fire talks that Saudi Arabia and the United States had been brokering, accusing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of failing to honor its commitments. The Zimbabwean government has announced that presidential, parliamentary, and local elections will be held on August 23, amidst opposition allegations of violence and political intimidation. And, for this year’s World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization has appealed to governments to end tobacco farming subsidies. For these stories and more, stay tuned to Africa News Tonight!