World War One as seen from the African perspective

Some 600 coca growers with sticks and machetes took a group of soldiers hostage earlier this week. The government has increased its efforts to eradicate coca plantations.

In 2019 alone, militia groups recruited nearly 8000 child soldiers, some as young as six. One of the countries where children are most at risk is the Central African Republic. Deutsche Welle has visited a project aiming to rehabilitate such children.

As coalition talks continue, DW's The 77 Percent asks young Africans if they expect — and want — a stronger collaboration between Germany and African countries.

Initial reactions to the death of South Africa's last white president Frederik Willem (FW) de Klerk were mixed on Thursday.

Russia is monitoring a ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but tensions over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region have risen this week.

Several local protesters were injured after French soldiers fired warning shots into a civilian blockade. Anger against France's military intervention has been growing in the African country.

The world is worried about the new COVID-19 omicron variant, first detected in South Africa. Many countries have imposed travel bans. In South Africa itself, people fear the restrictions more than the virus.

Since France began its military withdrawal from Mali, many social media posts have been misleading. Reports assert that Mali is negotiating with the Russian private military company Wagner. One photo on Facebook from November 10 claims that a Wagner military instructor is training Malian soldiers. Another photo from November 20 claims that Mali received a delivery of military equipment from Russia. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Since France began its military withdrawal from Mali, many misleading social media posts have appeared. Reports claim that Mali is negotiating with the Russian private military company Wagner. One photo on Facebook from November 10 allegedly shows a Wagner military instructor training Malian soldiers. Another photo from November 20 claims to show that Mali received a delivery of military equipment from Russia. We take a closer look in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Human Rights Watch says that more than 100 former Afghan security personnel have disappeared or been killed by the Taliban since they came to power in August. The actual number could be much higher than that.

French troops leave a key base in Timbuktu, handing it over to the Malian military. We explain how this marks a turning point in France’s wider Sahel mission. Also, Kenya's High Court suspends a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination order, saying it violates the constitution. Finally, Congolese rumba wins UNESCO World Heritage status. FRANCE 24 shows you how the music and dance tradition jumped from Africa to Cuba to the world.

Nobody was ever held responsible for strikes that killed thousands of civilians in Afghanistan and the Middle East, a New York Times report has found. A US strike cell routinely sidestepped safety procedures, it found.