South Africa elections: Turnout at its lowest since end of apartheid

On May 15, parliamentary elections will take place nationwide in Lebanon. The Lebanese diaspora, estimated to be double the size of the domestic population, already cast their ballots last week. Around 60 percent of people across 58 countries turned out, slightly more than in 2018. We bring you a special edition of Middle East Matters on Lebanon's first elections since the mass protests of 2019.

After struggling through the early years of the pandemic to get enough Covid 19 vaccinations, Africa's first factory to produce the doses says it may have to stop because it hasn't had enough orders. A former Congolese policemen gets a death sentence for murdereing a rights activist in 2010. And sanctions on Mali have hit Senegalese neighbouring towns. Within one month of the embargo exports to Mali have fallen by close to a quarter.

The egg-sized white diamond was sold for $21.75 million at Christie's in Geneva. It was billed as the largest of its kind to go under the hammer.

After struggling through the early years of the pandemic to get enough Covid-19 vaccinations, Africa's first factory to produce the doses says it may have to stop because it hasn't had enough orders. Also, a former Congolese policemen gets a death sentence for murdering human rights activist Floribert Chebeya in 2010. And sanctions on Mali have hit neighbouring towns in Senegal. Within one month of the embargo, exports to Mali have fallen by close to a quarter.

There's political upheaval in Nigeria after ten government officials step down, signalling their interest in the 2023 elections. And Somalia prepares for a presidential poll this weekend, after months of delays. Sunday's winner will have no shortages of challenges, as the country faces an Islamist insurgency, famine, and drought. Finally, in Niger, anti-corruption NGOs file a legal complaint over the government's accounting. They allege that over 95 million euros of state funds are missing.

Semakaleng Mathebula is South Africa's first Black hot air balloon pilot and one of few women participating in the niche sport, which traditionally has been the domain of the white and privilege.

March 17, 1992: This date will forever be remembered in South Africa as the day when whites voted to end the apartheid system that privileged them and oppressed others. The country has seen momentous change since then — but is still wracked by injustice and poverty.

A deadly attack on churchgoers has highlighted the failure of Nigeria's leaders to end the conflicts wracking the country. As campaigning gears up ahead of elections in February 2023, the violence could worsen.

This week, we explore the upcoming French legislative elections, the so-called "third round" of the presidential race. This time, French voters are electing 577 MPs to the Assemblée nationale, the lower house of parliament. Though arguably just as important as the race for the Élysée Palace, turnout tends to be lower. So do these elections work? We tell you more in this edition of French Connections.

Emmanuel Macron's alliance is in a tight race with the new left-wing union NUPES according to initial projections. Macron is predicted to win a greater number of districts which could grant him a parliamentary majority.

A new left-wing coalition wants to win a majority in France's upcoming legislative elections and challenge Emmanuel Macron's hold on parliamentary power. Their chances are slim but not impossible.

Colombians will choose between construction magnate Rodolfo Hernandez and former guerilla Gustavo Petro in the upcoming presidential election on June 19. But Hernandez had so far refused to debate Petro.