Ride-hailing apps go for a test drive in Senegal

During the past week, Senegal has been rocked by its worst violence in years. It was sparked by the arrest of charismatic opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who has been charged with rape. Sonko, who is considered a serious contender to replace President Macky Sall in 2024, denies the allegations. He says the charges are politically motivated.

Wrestling in Senegal is a centuries-old tradition rooted in harvest festivals, and draws a fanatical following. Training has resumed after a year of coronavirus-related restrictions that had stopped them from practising their sport and on Sunday, the first major bout since the start of the pandemic will take place in a 20,000-seater stadium just outside of Dakar.

Away from football pitches, horse racing is becoming more and more of a passion for Senegal's youth. For poor families, it can even be a huge opportunity to lift them out of poverty. In Senegal, jockeys earn on average twice the salary of a civil servant. Our colleagues from France 2 report, with FRANCE 24's Wassim Cornet.

Twins Aminata and Ramatoulaye Diaw have impressed Senegal by achieving their baccalaureate at the age of only 13, a new record in the African nation.

The former president has died while serving a life term in prison for crimes against humanity. Local media reported that the 79-year-old died of coronavirus.

In a place where concrete is cheap, one man, Doudou Deme, dreams of an ecological, sustainable alternative. Compressed earth bricks, manufactured in his factory outside Dakar, offer better temperature regulation as well as benefiting the planet.

In the northern Senegalese city of Saint-Louis, excavators are ripping up the beach to lay giant blocks of basalt, to keep the sea at bay. Dire warnings about the risk of rising sea levels due to climate change are already a grim reality in Saint-Louis, where seafront residents in the historic fishing quarter are abandoning their homes to the encroaching Atlantic Ocean.

France's oldest and most prestigious literary prize is won by a Sub-Saharan African writer for the first time. Senegal's Mohamed Mbougar Sarr impressed the judges with his novel "The Most Secret Memory of Men". But first, world leaders pledge more support for Africa, a continent which has contributed the least to climate change but which bears the brunt of rising temperatures and environmental disasters.

Senegal's book industry has been riding high on the wave of Mohamed Mbougar Sarr's Goncourt prize. The 31 year-old sensation is reviving interest in Senegalese writers after he won France's top literary award earlier this month.

The president of Guinea-Bissau has negotiated an oil deal with his counterpart from Senegal, without parliamentary approval. Umaro Sissoco Embalo is now facing a ministerial uprising supported by civil society.

Tournament favourites Senegal get off to a rocky start, beating Zimbabwe 1-0 thanks to a penalty in injury time. In Group B's other match, Guinea triumph 1-0, with Malawi's squad depleted from Covid-19. Meanwhile, Morocco and Gabon jump to the top of Group C after beating Ghana and first-timers Comoros. Wassim Cornet is joined by sports editors Simon Harding and James Vasina to talk about the highlights of Day 2.

The Atlas Lions join hosts Cameroon in the knockout stages after they beat Comoros 2-0. Meanwhile pre-tournament favourites Senegal play out a disappointing goaless stalemate with Guinea. Selina Sykes is joined by FRANCE 24 Sports Editor Simon Harding and James Vasina.