Certain sand dunes emit a haunting, low-frequency hum when disturbed by wind or footsteps

A rare deluge of rainfall in the Sahara Desert has brought relief to drought-stricken regions in Morocco and Algeria, but has also caused flooding and damage to crops.

Somali National Army conducted operations against militants in east of Galgaduud and Middle Shabelle regions, supported by local militias and international security forces, says ministry

Ethiopian Foreign Ministry announces ongoing efforts to evacuate more citizens while the consulate assists in relocating individuals to safer areas in Lebanon

Mozambique is set to hold general elections on October 9 to choose a new President, Parliament, and regional governments. The ruling Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frelimo) is campaigning to maintain the presidency and its parliamentary majority under new leader Daniel Chapo. They face challenges from the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) led by Ossufo Momade, the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) headed by Lutero Simango, and independent candidate Venancio Mondlane. As the campaign wraps up on October 6, there have been no significant reports of partisan violence. However, on September 28, the National Electoral Commission (CNE) disclosed it had experienced a cyber-attack, the repercussions of which are still unclear. In anticipation of the elections, authorities are expected to heighten security across the nation, with potential measures including checkpoints, increased patrolling in urban areas, border restrictions, and curfews. Protests and clashes between party supporters and security forces are anticipated, particularly in major urban centers, opposition strongholds, and northern provinces like Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Niassa, and Zambezia. Significant disruptions to urban and intercity travel, business operations, and telecommunications may occur due to civil unrest or preemptive security measures.

Ethiopia’s two houses of parliament elected Taye Atske Selassie as president on Monday (Oct. 7). He was sworn in on the same day, receiving the Constitution from the outgoing president. Taye succeeds Ethiopia’s first female president, who held the largely ceremonial role for six years, as executive power remains with the prime minister. The Chairperson of the African Union congratulated Taye and reaffirmed the AU’s support for Ethiopia’s democratic development. A seasoned diplomat, Taye previously served as Ethiopia’s Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations in New York. His predecessor, Zewde, who made history as Ethiopia’s first female president in 2018, resigned from her role as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the African Union to take on the presidency. Reports suggest there were tensions between her and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Zambia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China on Monday to establish the southern African nation’s first cholera vaccine manufacturing plant. The project’s first phase will cost $37 million, with about three million doses expected to be produced through a joint venture between Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and Jijia International Medical Technology Corporation. Speaking during the signing ceremony for the agreement at State House in the capital Lusaka, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said the development was a key step in the country’s quest to eradicate the disease, which took away productivity as a result of affecting citizens. “We are also sending a signal that Zambia, Africa and the globe are able to work together. Zambia must be looked at as a center, as a location to manufacture for a bigger market. And if you look at the population of Africa, it is growing very rapidly,” Hichilema was quoted as saying on state television. Hichilema said he expected the project to be commercially viable, adding there was no room for bureaucracy in its implementation, as it was lifesaving. He added that ahead of the manufacturing, China would donate about three million doses of the cholera vaccine. Cholera is perennial in the southern African nation, especially during the rainy season, and while curable, it also claims lives.

Ten miners were reported dead, and five others survived with injuries after a mine pit they were quarrying in collapsed, trapping an undisclosed number of people under the debris. The incident occurred at the Luili gold mine in Mumbwa District, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of Zambian capital of Lusaka on Monday. “An unknown number of people went to conduct mining activities at the pit this morning and during the course of their activities, the earth collapsed on them,” Charity Chanda, the police commissioner for Central Province, said in a statement. “Rescue efforts led to the recoveries of six miners with injuries, while nine were confirmed dead on the spot. Unfortunately, one of the six injured miners later succumbed to his injuries at Nangoma mission hospital,” said the statement.  Chanda said that efforts to rescue any remaining miners trapped under the debris were still underway, and the injured miners were receiving treatment at Nangoma Mission Hospital, which is located nearby. Nangoma Member of Parliament Collins Nzovu, who is also the country’s Minister for Water Development and Sanitation, revealed that the number of miners still trapped under the debris was five. Nzovu told reporters during his visit to the site that he had since directed the suspension of all mining activities at the quarry. While officially opening the inaugural Zambia Mining and Investment Insaka in Lusaka on Monday, Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema cautioned against unsafe mining practices, urging citizens interested in the sector to ensure they obtain licenses to conduct mining in a safe and legal environment.

In Nigeria, a country rich in oil and natural gas, 15 illegal refineries processing stolen crude oil have been destroyed. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, announced in a written statement that the military conducted aerial operations against oil smugglers in the Niger Delta, the nation’s oil-producing region. He reported the destruction of 15 illegal refining sites and the seizure of 11 tankers carrying oil, along with several boats. Additionally, 115,000 liters of stolen crude oil were recovered. Oil theft in Nigeria is negatively impacting the country’s economy. Nigerian Senator Ned Nwoko has stated that due to increasing oil theft and attacks on pipelines, the country has suffered losses exceeding $3 billion in 2023. Nigeria’s proven oil reserves are approximately 37 billion barrels, accounting for 3.1% of global reserves. Ranked among the top 15 countries in crude oil production, Nigeria is the 8th in the world for oil reserves and 6th in oil exports. In the Delta region, where oil fields are located, armed groups are involved in sabotage, conflicts, and kidnappings related to oil operations.

Kenyan athlete Kipyegon Bett, who won a bronze medal in the 800m at the 2017 World Championships in London, has died at 26 due to renal and hepatic failure. Bett first gained prominence at the U20 World Championships in 2016 in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and was considered one of Kenya’s top middle-distance runners. However, his career faltered in 2018 when he was suspended for doping after testing positive for erythropoietin (EPO), a claim he consistently denied. After serving his suspension, Bett faced ongoing mental health issues, including depression and alcohol addiction, which his sister reported. He was hospitalized last week in his hometown of Kericho and was readmitted on Friday as his condition worsened. Despite significant investments in anti-doping measures since the 2016 Rio Olympics, over 70 Kenyan athletes have been banned in the last three years. Recently, the World Anti-Doping Agency raised concerns over severe budget cuts to the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak), which may jeopardize the integrity of Kenyan athletics.

Tunisia’s President Kais Saied has won a second term with 90.69% of the votes in the presidential election held on Sunday, the country’s electoral commission announced on Monday. At a press conference in the capital Tunis, the head of Tunisia’s Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), Farouk Bouasker, said the voter turnout was 28.8%. While Saied received 90.69% of the votes, his competitor Ayachi Zammel garnered 7.35%, and Zouhair Maghzaoui received only 1.97% of the votes, Bouasker added. Tunisia’s election took place amid political tensions, economic challenges, and a polarized nation.

Kenya’s Deputy President Gachagua files petition to stop impeachment motion against him by lawmakers amid political tension.

The rise of unlicensed gold mining in Ghana is boosting the economy while endangering health, polluting the environment, and fueling crime.

Uganda has banned the popular “disco matanga” events due to concerns over sexual abuse, violence, and exploitation of young girls.

One of the five inmates who escaped from a high-security Portuguese prison last month has been arrested in Morocco, while the remaining four remain at large.

The text describes a mass shooting in South Africa where six security guards were killed while on patrol near a school.

This shift is driven by rising fuel costs and the country’s abundant renewable energy sources.

Cholera, a waterborne disease, continues to pose a serious health threat in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas and urban slums where access to clean drinking water is limited

Constantine, one of Algeria’s oldest cities, is a marvel of engineering

After a delay due to logistical difficulties, Congolese authorities have started administering vaccinations against mpox in an attempt to curb the outbreak.  265,000 doses were given to the DRC by the EU and the US, have been administered in the city of Goma and north Kivu province, where healthcare resources have been stretched amid the surge in mpox cases. The country, which has recorded some 30,000 cases, accounts for more than 80% of all the cases and 99% of deaths reported on the continent this year. More than 850 deaths from the disease have been reported in the DRC this year. Back in August, the WHO declared that the surge in mpox cases in the DRC, which spread to several countries, constituted a global health emergency.  Beyond the African continent, a handful of cases have also been recorded in countries including Sweden and Pakistan. Caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox, mpox was initially passed from animals to humans. It is transmitted from person to person through close contact with someone who is infected. The current outbreak has seen the spread of a new strain of the disease dubbed clade 1b, which is more serious than clade 2, which triggered a public health emergency in 2022.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Ghana’s capital to demand an end to illegal mining, known locally as ‘Galamsey.’ Protesters expressed their determination to pressure the government to address the environmental damage caused by these activities. One attendee stated, “My motivation is to see illegal mining stop in Ghana. We need to keep protesting and striking to catch their attention.” The protest, held from Thursday to Saturday, saw no police interference, unlike a previous demonstration by the group Democracy Hub. The Catholic Church plans a peaceful protest against illegal mining on Friday, while labor unions are set to announce a nationwide strike on Thursday. One participant criticized the government’s indifference, saying, “This attitude is not surprising; it threatens the lives of Ghanaians.” Protesters also called for the release of those arrested during a prior demonstration against illegal mining.

An exit poll indicates that incumbent Tunisian President Kais Saied has won a second term in elections held Sunday, receiving 89.2% of the vote.  “The estimated results indicate Kais Saied’s victory in the presidential election with 89.2%, totaling 2,194,150 votes, said Hassan Zargouni, the director of polling company Sigma Conseil, speaking on Tunisian public television. The electoral authority announced the final list of candidates on Sept. 2, including three contenders: incumbent President Kais Saied, opposition candidate Ayachi Zammel, secretary-general of the Azimoun movement, and Zouhair Maghzaoui, secretary-general of the People’s Movement – a supporter of Saied. Zargouni added that Zammel received 6.9% with 169,727 votes, while Maghzaoui received 3.9% with 95,933 votes. Earlier on Sunday, the Independent High Authority for Elections in Tunisia announced that the preliminary voter turnout in the elections was 27.7% by the time polling stations closed at 6 p.m. local time (1700GMT). Farouk Bouaskar, the president of the authority, said at a press conference in Tunis that “the electoral process went smoothly, and we did not record any incidents that marred this election day, with a respectable turnout from Tunisians at polling stations both domestically and abroad.” “A total of 2,704,155 voters participated in the voting process today, resulting in a preliminary turnout of 27.7%,” he added. Bouaskar said the official and final turnout rates will be announced alongside the preliminary election results on Monday evening. On Sunday morning, the voting process began in Tunisia to elect a president for a five-year term, while voting abroad commenced on Friday in 59 countries. Tunisia’s election is taking place amid political tensions, economic challenges and a polarized electorate.

Nine people have been killed in armed attacks in Katsina State, Nigeria. Reports indicate that unidentified gunmen targeted the Faskari and Matazu areas. The victims included six local security personnel and three civilians, with numerous others injured. Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda condemned the attacks in a statement, announcing the deployment of additional security forces to the region. Nigeria has recently seen a rise in violence from armed gangs, as well as attacks from Boko Haram and ISWAP in various areas. Despite the death penalty for kidnapping, ransom abductions remain prevalent, often affecting villages, schools, and travelers in the northern regions.

Kais Saied’s supporters celebrated in Tunis after an exit poll showed him leading with 89.2% of the votes, while his rivals rejected the results and voter turnout remained low.