Jega backs youth involvement in politics

Too stylish for political party t-shirts and caps, some fashionistas in Nigeria are donning the colours and faces of their preferred candidates for a presidential election this month. Ahead of the Feb. 25 vote, political rallies have become catwalks for colourful printed fabrics twisted into elaborate dresses, tunics and headscarves.

The head of the US Environmental Protection Agency pays a visit to East Palestine a fortnight after a chemical spill from a train derailment. Locals say little has been done to protect their health after the accident.

Youth unemployment in China hit nearly 20% last year as lockdowns took their toll. Many young people are rejecting a return to the daily grind, while those seeking security in the public sector have hit a dead end.

A peace deal between the government and the Philippines' largest Muslim separatist movement has offered a glimmer of hope to youngsters still affected by cyclical violence of clan wars.

The death of a popular rapper has prompted many young people in Mozambique to protest against the country's problems. The Mozambican state and the ruling FRELIMO party are responding with repression.

Phone snatching is a worrying trend in Nigeria's northern Kano state. One group of youths is helping people to hold on to their devices.

The Nigerian hip hop duo P-Square tell us how important it is to be vocal when it comes to politics in the country. The duo speak about how music plays a role in empowering the youth.

Although climate change has been conspicuously absent from Nigeria's political agenda, the tangible effects of global warming are undeniably present. The country has one of the highest rates of desertification in the world, many of its cities are under threat from rising sea levels, and the 2022 floods resulted in hundreds of fatalities and displaced over a million people.

Senegalese leading opposition figure, Ousmane Sonko has been sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday for “corrupting youth”. The court acquitted Sonko, a candidate in the 2024 presidential election, of rape charges and issuing death threats, but jailed him for corrupting the country's young people.

We look at reactions in the French and foreign media after a senseless stabbing attack involving pre-schoolers in Annecy. We also look at how French MPs used the attack for political gain. In other news: researchers reveal results from a large study in animal mobility during the pandemic with surprising results. Finally, we look ahead to a sumptuous semi-final showdown: Novak Djokovic versus Carlos Alcaraz!

Although youth gang wars affect all of Indonesia, Yogyakarta, a city of 400,000 inhabitants on the island of Java, has become the epicentre of a worrying new phenomenon. There, teenage boys clash in the streets at night. They travel on motorbike, armed with truncheons or rusty swords. Their victims are rival gang members, but sometimes also innocent passersby.

New data shows Chinese economic growth slowing, with property investment in steep decline and youth unemployment at a record high. Also, the US Federal Reserve confirms its "hawkish pause" policy, keeping interest rates steady for now but planning for more hikes. Finally, economists name an unlikely culprit for persistent Swedish inflation: Beyoncé.