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Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst 

BBC World Service

Two essential stories to round off your working day. Explaining the news from Africa. Hosted by Nkechi Ogbonna.

Focus on Africa

The Women's African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) has kicked off in Morocco, with an expanded 16-team tournament bringing together the continent's best sides in the battle for the African title. The host country, Morocco has defeated Kenya , 4-0 (nil) in the opening match. Running till the 16th of August, the four semi-finalists will automatically qualify for next year's Women's World Cup, while the losing quarter-finalists will have another opportunity to reach the global stage through the inter-continental play-offs. This year, the stakes are higher than ever.

Meanwhile, authorities in Liberia and Nigeria are investigating major cocaine and methamphetamine operations in one of West Africa's largest drug crackdowns in recent years.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine 
Senior Producers: Keikantse Shumba
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

WAFCON officially kicks off in Morocco

Grammy-nominated Yemi Alade is one of Africa's biggest music stars and a trailblazer who has helped take Afrobeats to audiences around the world. She's collaborated with artists including Beyoncé and became the first female African Afrobeats artist to surpass 100 million views on a single music video. Now, she's touring the continent to promote her latest album. While in Kenya, she sat down with Focus on Africa host Nkechi Ogbonna to reflect on her longevity, the challenges women face in Africa's music industry, and what governments can do to better support artists.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Fana Negash and Carolyne Kiambo
Senior Producers: Priyanka Sippy and Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: Herbert Masua
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Yemi Alade: beyond the music

At least 50 soldiers have been killed in the latest attack in Mali as insecurity mounts in the country. The ambush took place near the northern town of Anefis and is one of the deadliest to occur in years. The attack has been claimed by Tuareg separatists and Al-Qaeda linked jihadists. The ambush has raised several questions about Mali's military strategy and playbook after the country ended cooperation with western allies and deepened ties with Russia.

And do you know about the historic Gnaoua genre of music from Morocco? This music is one of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage traditions. It developed in Morocco from the 16th and 17th centuries and is rooted in the history and spiritual practices of sub-Saharan African populations brought to the region via the trans-Saharan slave trade.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine and Blessing Aderogba
Senior Producers: Caroline Mwangi and Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Mali insecurity escalates amid jihadist attacks

The Algerian government has said that six people have died in wildfires in several provinces in recent days, as a deadly heatwave ravages the country. Officials have also instructed provincial governors to carry out comprehensive assessments of the damage to help guide future compensation for affected communities. The fires come as several Mediterranean countries, including France and Italy, are struggling with severe wildfires driven by extreme summer temperatures. Since the beginning of July, civil defence teams have responded to nearly 1,500 wildfires nationwide, more than double the number reported during the previous year. 
 
Also, a new Google Trends report shows more Nigerian youth are using AI to learn foreign languages such as French and German, as well as sign language. 

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Blessing Aderogba
Senior Producers: Caroline Mwangi and Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Deadly wildfires ravage Algeria

Kenyan authorities have denied reports that seven aid workers are quarantined in an Ebola facility in Central Kenya. Members of the public and civil society groups have raised concerns following reports that the aid workers who worked at Ebola health facilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are quarantined at a US military base in the country. 

And, we shed the spotlight on foundational learning in Africa. According to UNICEF, four out of five children across Africa are unable to read or understand a simple sentence by the age of 10.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, and Blessing Aderogba
Senior Producers: Caroline Mwangi and Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Ebola: Kenya denies hosting US aid workers

Every year, July 18 is marked as the Nelson Mandela International Day. It is a moment not only to celebrate the life of South Africa's first democratically elected president, but also to reflect on the values he championed which include justice, reconciliation and service to humanity. This year's commemorations included a live concert at London's Trafalgar Square, where artists gathered to honour the man affectionately known as Madiba. We speak to South African musician Asanda Mvana, better known as Msaki, about the role music can play in preserving Nelson Mandela's legacy as well as South Africa's minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie. 

And how do scientists go about discovering new species of animals? We hear from Junior Amboko, the scientist who named the recently discovered species of monkey in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Victor Chege, Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba 
Senior Producers: Caroline Mwangi and Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Remembering the Nelson Mandela legacy

You may have heard about South Africa’s viral Netflix show, The Polygamist. The series has been trending across the continent, sparking conversations about relationships, marriage and fidelity.
Now, according to the Pew Research Center, a US-based think tank, only around 2% of the world's population lives in polygamous households. However, the practice is most common in sub-Saharan Africa, where an estimated 11% of people are part of polygamous families.

So, what is it really like to be in a polygamous marriage, and why do some people choose this way of life? We hear from Takid Master, his first wife, Cecilia, and his second wife, Mariam, about how their relationship works.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Fana Negash, Carolyne Kiambo and Bella Twine 
Senior Producers: Priya Sippy and Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

'Inside our polygamous marriage'

Sierra Leone's government has dropped its charges, including treason, against ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma, who was arrested in connection with an attempted coup nearly three years ago. The charges had been dropped on health grounds, Information Minister Chernor Bah told the BBC. The 72-year-old former president has always denied involvement in the November 2023 attempted coup when gunmen broke into a military armoury and several prisons, freeing almost 2,000 inmates. We hear what this move means for the country's politics. 

And how female sports commentators are excelling in a male dominated field while using local languages to bring the World Cup closer to African audiences. 

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Blessing Aderogba 
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau 
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Sierra Leone drops treason charge against ex-president

Days after the rescue of 48 school children and their teachers from kidnappers in Nigeria's Southwest Oyo State, authorities call for investigations into the abductions and the release. We hear from the families of the victims. 

And Somalia cites insecurity and money laundering in a bid to oppose the roll out a new WhatsApp feature that will allow users to utilise usernames instead of registered phone numbers. 

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine and Priya Sippy
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau 
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Nigeria abducted teachers and pupils speak

A Sudanese court has sentenced the leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo - known as Hemedti - to death for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide over atrocities committed in the West Darfur region. Hemedti, along with 15 other senior RSF leaders were sentenced in absentia. We look at what this means for the RSF and its three-year civil war with the Sudan Armed Forces. 

And in Kenya, whistleblowers are tipping off police, helping authorities intervene before girls undergo female genital mutilation. 

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Chiamaka Dike and Blessing Aderogba 
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau 
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla

Sierra Leone drops treason charge against ex-president

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