Africa Today

The World Health Organization recently published its first-ever report on drowning prevention. The rates are highest in Africa-with Uganda one of the highestAnd a Ghanaian shares his close encounter with jihadists in Burkina FasoAre there academies in Nigeria where people are taught online scamming?Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producers: Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi, Blessing Aderogba in Lagos and Amie Liebowitz in London. Senior producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer Philip Bull Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Residents of Mayotte have spoken of "apocalyptic scenes" caused by the worst storm in 90 years to hit the French Indian Ocean territory. Twenty people have been confirmed dead, but local authorities say that number could rise into thousands. We'll look at the impact.Also a look at the painful legacy of landmines in Africa and why campaigns to end their use is always welcomeAnd the life and times of a political cartoonist. We'll hear from South Africa's Zapiro and Kenya's Maddo!Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Bella Hassan and Stefania Okereke Technical Producer: Phillip Bull Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Ethiopian authorities have reportedly deported hundreds of Eritreans. Many Eritreans there are refugees who fled forced military conscription and government oppression We hear about the lives of Syrians who fled war at home for a new life in Somalia Why did China give the least developed countries it has diplomatic ties with tariff free access.?Presenter Charles Gitonga Producers: Sunita Nahar and Yvette Twagiramariya in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne.

Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to end their bitter dispute over Addis Ababa's plans to build a port in the breakaway republic of Somaliland following talks in Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the "historic agreement", which he said would eventually ensure landlocked Ethiopia's access to the sea. How significant is this?Also what's keeping protestors on the streets of Mozambique? And a look at the complicated relationship between South Africa and Nigeria.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Sunita Nahar, Rob Wilson and Bella Hassan in London. Blessing Aderogba is in Lagos. Technical Producer: Fran Dunne Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Zambia's constitutional court says former President Lungu is ineligible for re-election.  He alleges political interferenceWe'll look at Operation Serengeti, a multinational attempt to stamp out cybercrimePlus, a BBC investigation into how influencers are spreading disinformation on women's health on TikTokPresenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Victor Sylver and Yvette Twagiramariya in London and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Senior Producer :Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Nick Randell Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso, is visiting Libya, in his capacity as chairman of the African Union's committee on the Libyan crisis. His aim is to get the country's rival governments, led by Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah in the west and Marshal Khalifa Haftar in the east, to the reconciliation table. Does the AU have any influence in Libya?Also why are young women in Kenya opting for irreversible surgery as a means of contraception? And a new regulation in Spain giving migrant workers a chance to get their papers in order. Is it good news for all migrants? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi. Bella Hassan and Sunita Nahar in London Technical Producer: Jonny Hall Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

After two previous attempts, John Mahama is set to make comeback as Ghana's president. He was the country’s leader from 2012-2016. Ghana’s economy is struggling and corruption endemic. Political  analyst  Nansata Yakubu explains the huge expectations on a Mahama presidency  over the next four years. The menstrual health taboos facing African women athletesAnd the flaw with Africa’s big infrastructure finance models.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Yvette Twagiramariya, Nour Abida and Amie Liebowitz in London. Frenny Jowi in Nairobi Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Nick Randell Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

The BBC's Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet has recently returned from Sudan. It's her second visit to the country since April 2023, when the war broke out between the government army and the paramilitary group, the RSF. Lyse says, the humanitarian sitaution in the country is far worse now than it's ever been. She met and spoke to people displaced by the conflict, including women and children and entreprenuers and bankers too. Also, Zimbabwe's High court rules against a law that denies abortion to children and women raped in marriage or in cases of incestAnd a journey into the Congo Basin where more than 700 new species have been discovered!Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Bella Hassan and Sunita Nahar in London Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

Namibia has elected its first female president, who is she, and what cultural and political obstacles will she need to overcome?How the rape of a woman in Mauritania has sparked national protests and reflection As surrogacy becomes common in Nigeria, there is a new bill to regulate the practice.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers :Bella Hassan, Sunita Nahar and Rob Wilson in London.  Blessing Aderogba in Lagos Senior Producer :Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Jonathan Greer. Editors :Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Ghanaians are preparing to vote in their presidential election this Saturday. The election is being contested between vice-president Mahamudu Bawumia and former president John Mahama. What are the key issues voters will be focusing on? Also, Sierra Leone's desire to return to being a rice exporter, instead of importing the country's most favourite foodAnd French President Macron's pivot towards anglophone countries in Africa. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson and Victor Sylver in London Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Nigeria air strikes: Tudunbiri village continues to mourn dozens of deaths and cope with injuries one year later onWe look at the impact of mercury poisoning caused by illegal mining in southwestern GhanaAnd how easy is it for you to travel to another African country?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan and Amie Liebowitz in London., Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical producer: Francesca Dunne. Editors :Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

US President Biden is in Angola for what is likely to be the final foreign trip of his presidency. It’s his first visit to Sub- Saharan Africa and it's part of a promise the president made, during the US-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022, to travel to the continent. But, it comes almost at the end of his tenure, so what does the president's trip to Angola say about the US Africa policy?Also, we'll hear hearing from the Mozambican opposition leader, Venancio Mondlane, as protests continue over election resultsAnd who is Maxim Shugalei and what's he doing in Africa? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Rob Wilson and Victor Sylver in London. Technical producer: Nick Randell Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Negotiators in the South Korean city of Busan are trying to reach the first ever a global treaty on plastic. How stress from climate change is leading to increased violence against women.And a film maker’s odyssey to preserve the legacy of a local Ugandan photographer.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Nour Abida and Nyasha Michelle in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Senior Producer : Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

There are now 35 million people internally displaced across the continent, that's according to a recent report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. That's a threefold increase since 2009, when African governments signed a landmark deal legally binding countries to try and tackle the causes of displacement. So why is there an increase? Also, we'll hear from Leila Soueif, the Egyptian mother on hunger strike, protesting against the continued detention of her son, Alaa Abd el-FattahAnd we learn more about the origins of democracy through a system called dikgotla, in Botswana!Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan, Rob Wilson, Victor Sylver and Amie Liebowitz Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Militant Islamists involved in another deadly attack in Nigeria’s Borno State. Why is the army still battling these insurgencies?South Africa opposition parties seek to revive impeachment proceedings against President RamaphosaWhy does President Felix Tshisekedi want to change the Congolese constitution?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Nyasha Michelle, Sunita Nahar and Frenny Jowi Technical Producer: Chris Kouzaris Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Namibians will head to the polls on Wednesday in what is expected to be the most competitive election yet for the ruling SWAPO party, which has governed the country since independence. We'll get analysis and hear from young voters. Also young Nigerians caught up in the gold rush in rebel controlled areas in Mali. But do they know that the sale of gold is funding something sinister? And why the grass may not always be greener for African migrants working in the Gulf States.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Bella Hassan, Victor Sylver and Nyasha Michelle in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos and Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Gabriel O'Regan Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

A court in Zimbabwe recently convicted dozens of opposition politicians belonging to the Citizens Coalition for Change party for holding an illegal gathering. Is the party facing a clamp down from Zanu-PF?How the church is trying to navigate governance challenges for Kenya and AfricaPlus, lessons the South African city of Cape Town learned about water security from the 2018 drought Presenter Charles Gitonga Producers: Sunita Nahar, Amie Liebowitz and Bella Hassan in London and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Philip Bull Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Mali has appointed its spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, as prime minister a day after firing its previous leader, Choguel Kokalla Maïga and his government. This came after rare criticism by Maïga of the junta.  What's really behind the reshuffle?Also did you know that Ethiopia is a major hub for bitcoin mining?And how the world of sport is doing its bit for the climate crisis!Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Nyasha Michelle and Nishat Ladha in London. Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

South Africa takes over the G20 presidency from Brazil for a year. Will Africa benefit from this?How organised crime benefits from trafficking electronic waste to Ghana.And Somalia's Finance Minister on the benefits of debt forgiveness.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Bella Hassan, Amie Liebowitz, Joseph Keen and Paul Bakibinga in London. Technical Producer: Philip Bull Editors:  Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Russia vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution which called for a ceasefire in Sudan.  It was proposed by the UK and Sierra Leone, calling on both sides to immediately halt hostilities and start talks aimed at agreeing a national ceasefire.  Why did Russia veto it?   Also, the online trend that has Nigerians furiously tapping their phones   And the Ghanaian-British musician Fuze ODG explains why he thinks initiatives like Band Aid, is not good for Africa.   Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Victor Sylver and Aime Lebowitz in London and Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard