Cash transfer plan helps families cope as Somalia drought worsens

Although Somalia now has a quota system for female lawmakers, women are frequently held back from pursuing leadership roles due to pervasive cultural and social barriers.

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Officials say an ongoing drought in the East African country is the worst in a decade. Hundreds of thousands of children could starve if a famine sets in.

The African Union pays its respects to Burundi for the loss of 10 peacekeepers killed in an extremist attack in Somalia. The raid is the deadliest to have targeted AU forces there since 2015. One of Kenya's hottest artists has turned his beats to drumming up ballots. Rapper Octopizzo is getting more young people to vote in elections later this year. And we meet some of the women in Benin who say they have more opportunities in business.

The families of eight missing miners in Burkina Faso desperately awaited news from rescue teams on Thursday as efforts continued to locate the men who have been stuck underground for 26 days. There has been no communication with the miners since they were trapped more than 500 metres (1,640 ft) below ground during a flood at Canada-based Trevali Mining Corp's Perkoa zinc mine on April 16.

The Horn of Africa nation chooses its next president on Sunday amid tight security in the capital Mogadishu. The election is over a year behind schedule.

After a devastating locust invasion, the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing drought, the war in Ukraine is worsening the situation in East Africa.

American military leaders said the soldiers would help counter the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab in the Horn of Africa country.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud faces many challenges: From the fight against militant organization al-Shabab to a potential famine threatening millions of Somalis. Is he the right man for the job? DW takes a look.

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Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan last year, international aid for the country has dried up. The pandemic and the ongoing food crisis have complicated an already dire economic situation. Unicef says that as more families are pushed deeper into poverty, they are forced to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age. Our France 2 colleagues report.

The first family will meet with community and religious leaders, as well as those who lost their loved ones to the violence that left 21 people — including 19 children — dead at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.