Nigeria to sign AfCFTA at AU summit in Niamey

Experts question whether Google's planned $1 billion investment in Africa stands to benefit the continent in the long term. Instead, some see it as another avenue for big tech companies to acquire budding start-ups.

It has been five years since the German government enacted the prostitution protection act. Lawmakers say it protects vulnerable people; many sex workers say it is discriminatory, stigmatizing and has increased risks.

“We came out here to honour our fallen brothers and sisters and they are telling us not to do so. Who does that,” asked a protester on as Nigerians, in their hundreds, gathered in Lagos and other Nigerian cities on Wednesday observed a memorial of last year’s long-drawn #EndSARS protests, which turned on its head on 20 October 2020.⁣⁣

Ghana's smock garment used to be reserved for royal use. These days, a flood of imported yarn has opened the market to near universal use, and the smock has become a Ghanaian clothing icon. Yet the country's collapsed cotton industry has left the financial fortunes of weavers and smock makers hanging by a thread.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces a comprehensive in-principle free trade agreement with the UK, arrived at after 16 months of talks. London said the deal ends tariffs on British exports such as clothing, footwear, ships and bulldozers. It estimated that trade between the two countries last year was worth £2.3 billion ($3.2 billion, 2.7 billion euros).

The two sides seem worlds apart after the first day of discussions, which were intended to be about rising energy prices, but ended up being overshadowed by an increasingly bitter feud over the rule of law.

"Big John," as the dinosaur was nicknamed, went for millions above the initial estimate from French auction house Druot.

A year ago, Akinwunmi hoisted a pole bearing the Nigerian and ENDSARS flags above his head to draw attention to the protest movement against police brutality in Lagos. Now known by thousands as Flagboii, Akinwunmi keeps waving his flag to "fight for a good country."

Germany is relatively new to the list of countries with a minimum wage. Now, government coalition talks are considering raising it without using the country's independent expert commission. There are pros and cons.

The head of the Fairtrade Foundation says consumers, businesses and governments need a ‘reality check’ on the situation facing farmers in developing countries. CEO Michael Gidney speaks to FRANCE 24 ahead of the COP26 climate conference, where Fairtrade will be bringing a pledge for businesses. In this pledge, companies will promise to invest in more sustainable supply chains and provide guaranteed prices to farmers.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Saturday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.⁣ ⁣

The Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, is set to become the first state hospital in Africa to perform robotic-assisted surgery, following the launch of the state-of-the-art Da Vinci X-I surgical robot.⁣⁣ The four-armed robot will aid surgeons in carrying out complex surgeries on patients in a less invasive and shorter period of time.⁣⁣