Africa News Tonight - VOA Africa Voice of America (VOA)

Africa News Tonight is a lively news magazine show featuring VOA correspondent reports, interviews with African officials, opposition leaders, NGOs and human rights activists. News feature stories look at science and technology, environmental issues, humanitarian topics, and the African diaspora.

At least two people died and dozens suffered serious injuries when a fight broke out between two communities in the holy city of Medina Gounas in eastern Senegal. As the number of displaced persons and refugees grows, the Norwegian Refugee Council says conflict has been one of the biggest drivers of the surge, stretching resources to the breaking point – especially in Sudan’s neighboring countries. Nigeria`s anti-drug agency says it seized drugs worth millions of dollars destined for export when it raided a warehouse in the southern part of the country.

South Africa is embarking on its first coalition government, which will be dominated by the African National Congress, the ANC, and the Democratic Alliance, the DA. In its latest update on Ethiopia, the United Nations human rights office says violent conflicts have led to serious human rights violations and abuses, as the government begins a national dialogue on healing festering wounds. Malawi Vice-President Saulos Chilima, who died in a plane crash a week ago, is due to be buried later today in his home district of Ntcheu.

Sudan's army says its forces have killed the central commander of Darfur of the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, Ali Yagoub Gibril. South Africans are waiting for the results of the presidential election in the country’s Parliament, a vote incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to win, after his African National Congress formed a coalition government with the Democratic Alliance. In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, many Muslims say they are finding it difficult to celebrate Eid al Adha because of the region’s security situation.

South Africa’s new unity government is beginning to take shape, with members of parliament expected to re-elect African National Congress leader Cyril Ramaphosa as president on Friday. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, reports global forced displacement surged to historic heights last year driven by conflict, persecution, human rights violations, climate crisis and other disturbing events. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was in Chad recently, one of the last countries Moscow is trying to ally with in the Sahel region, which not long ago was France's sphere of influence.

The Malawi government says Vice President Saulos Chilima will be honored with a state funeral after he was killed along with eight other people in a plane crash. Equity Bank Kenya is known for its commitment to inclusivity, serving diverse customer segments, including refugees and high-net-worth individuals. Tunisia and China say they are establishing a strategic partnership, an announcement that came after recent talks between Tunisian President Kais Saied and Chinese President Xi Jinping.