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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

From selling charcoal, firewood and a popular West Africa staple food locally known as garri, to making waves on the global music scene. Liberian superstar JZyNO has come a long way. He started making music in Liberia before moving to Ghana to pursue his dreams, where he found a more developed music industry. In 2023, he broke onto the international scene with his hit single, Butta My Bread, which has amassed over 300 million views.
 
He sat down with Focus on Africa to reflect on life since his breakout hit, his humble beginnings in Liberia, and what the country needs to do to produce more globally successful artists.
 
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Godwin Asediba, Keikantse Shumba, Carolyne Jotham and Bella Twine
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Senior Producers: Charles Gitonga and Priya Sippy
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

JZyNO on taking Liberia’s sound global

From devastating floods in Nepal to growing weather concerns across Africa, extreme weather is once again putting communities at risk. The United Nations warns that up to 162 million children in Eastern and Southern Africa live in areas exposed to the impending El Niño weather event. Experts say it could be the strongest El Niño in more than 70 years, bringing the risk of intensifying drought, extreme heat and flooding.

And we hear from a macro photographer who captures tiny insects in remarkable detail, in the environments they call home, to inspire people to care about their vital role in our ecosystems.

Presenter: Charles Gitonga
Producer: Keikantse Shumba
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Senior Producer: Blessing Aderogba
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

Is Africa ready for a stronger El Niño?

The senior adviser to US President Donald Trump on African and Arab Affairs, Massad Boulos, speaks exclusively to the BBC about why the US is asking the UN Security Council to approve a nationwide arms embargo on Sudan, a move Washington says could help end the war which has been ongoing for more than 3 years. A nationwide embargo would ban the sale, transfer or supply of weapons and military equipment to all sides of the conflict, including the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces.

And, despite affecting millions of people worldwide, dyslexia remains widely misunderstood in Africa. The neurodevelopmental learning difference can affect reading, spelling and language processing.

We hear from someone living with dyslexia about her experience and the stigma surrounding it.

Presenter: Charles Gitonga
Producers: Bella Twine and Chiamaka Dike
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Senior Producer: Blessing Aderogba
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

US pushes for Sudan arms embargo

Guinea-Bissau awaits the results of Sunday's referendum on a proposed new constitution which aims to increase presidential powers. The vote is seen as an important step ahead of December's general election, which is expected to return the country to civilian rule after last year's military coup. The proposed constitution would give more powers to the president and reduce the number of parliamentary seats from 102 to 65. The military government says the changes would make parliament more effective and help reduce tensions between the president and prime minister.

And we enter the world of dressing as your favourite anime or video game character. This, known as Cosplay, is giving young people new ways to bring characters from animation, comics and video games to life, especially from Japanese animation, better known as Anime.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Blessing Aderogba and Ayuba Iliya
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

Guinea-Bissau votes to reshape presidency

Last Saturday, gunfire and attacks near the airport were witnessed in Niamey, Niger's capital city. Defecting soldiers known as the Armed Forces for the Restoration of the Fatherland, attempted a coup which was later contained by the military with the support of its Russia Africa corps. Authorities in the country have not said how many soldiers were involved in the coup, or how many people were killed in the ensuing violence. The current military leader General Abdourahamane Tiani came to power in 2023 after ousting then democratically-elected president Mohamed Bazoum. We look at what the latest mutiny means for the country's stability. 
 
And as a new report shows women make up only 6% of pilots globally, we find out if perceptions about women in aviation are changing in African countries.
 
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna 
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba and Ayuba Iliya 
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango 
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga 
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

Niger arrests soldiers behind failed mutiny

Now, you may have heard about a trial currently happening in the US, it’s a tragic case where a mother has been charged for killing her three children. However, her lawyers have argued she was experiencing with postpartum psychosis at that time. The trial has put a spotlight on postpartum psychosis - which is a rare and severe mental health condition, including symptoms such as mania, depression, confusion, and hallucinations. So, what’s it like to experience postpartum psychosis? And how do you come out on the other side? Focus on Africa host, Nkechi Ogbonna, spoke to Chebet Birir, a 33-year-old journalist from Kenya and a mother of four about her journey with the illness.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba and Carolyne Jotham
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Senior producers: Priyanka Sippy and Charles Gitonga
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

'My journey with postpartum psychosis'

American country music star, Dolly Parton passed away this week and her fans across the continent have felt the loss greatly. Her songs, such as Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You, crossed generations, borders and musical genres. We hear from the leader of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the South African group who worked with Parton on Knockin' on Heaven's Door in 1995, and later collaborated on Peace Train, which appeared on her album, Treasures. 

And with Nigeria’s elections being months away, can a new Muslim-Christian agreement help ease religious tensions?

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Carolyne Jotham, Chiamaka Dike and Blessing Aderogba
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga 
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

African fans pay tribute to Dolly Parton

US President Donald Trump's senior Africa envoy has asked the UN to extend its arms embargo from Darfur to all of Sudan, amid a recent escalation in the conflict. Now in its fourth year, the war in Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people and forced 14 million more to flee their homes. An arms embargo covering the Darfur region has been in place for more than two decades - and will expire next month if not amended or renewed. 

And, following immense drought and land degradation in the Sahel region, restoration efforts have begun aimed at helping vulnerable groups who are battling the impact of climate change in the region.

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba and Helen Oyibo 
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

US calls for Sudan arms embargo

Somali piracy is rising again. The buccaneers capitalize on security gaps, targeting cargo ships and demanding multi-million dollar ransoms. On Sunday, nine people were reportedly killed in a drone strike on a small boat off the coast of Somalia, in a series of attacks linked to the hijacking of a Cameroon-flagged vessel. 

And in Mozambique, a simple paper appointment book is helping tackle long clinic queues hoping to bring healthcare services closer to pregnant women 

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Carolyne Kiambo and Blessing Aderogba 
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

Pirate attacks on Somalia's shipping lanes

The Nigerian government plans to decriminalise attempted suicide. It is currently an offence punishable by up to one year in prison, a fine or both. Suicide is a major public health concern, with the country recording around 300,000 attempts every year, and at least 7,000 deaths. We hear from a survivor and a mental health expert. 

And, as more countries move to ban social media access for teenagers because of safety concerns, we hear from two young people who are members of TikTok's Global Youth Council. 

Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, Ayuba Iliya and Helen Oyibo 
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga 
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Daniel Dadzie and Maryam Abdalla

Nigeria plans to decriminalise attempted suicide

As the Kremlin sends the Wagner boss to Belarus following a dramatic weekend in Russia, what happens to the thousands of Wagner mercenaries serving in Africa? We discuss three possible scenarios with Senior Analyst for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, Julia Stanyard

Also in the pod: How disposing of plastics without care can end up clogging up drains and causing floods

And, we speak with Luis Munana from the acclaimed Netflix series Young, African and Famous

Who leads Wagner in Africa now?

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

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