Just over a year after Brexit became a practical reality, the Northern Ireland Assembly is in crisis after its First Minister resigned in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit deal. Ireland's Europe Minister Thomas Byrne tells FRANCE 24 the departure of Paul Givan "has caused deep difficulties within the government system in Northern Ireland", and that the situation is "very very worrying".

Africa has a very young population, but many young people don't see a clear path to leading a successful, independent life. This leads to a "ticking time bomb" of mental health problems, according to our guest. Tom Osborn is the co-founder and executive director of the Shamiri Institute in Kenya. He told us how he's helping young people and how his early life growing up in a poor rural area of the country inspired him to take this inspirational path.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said his announcement of scrapping obligatory isolation for people infected with COVID was a mistake and sent the wrong signal.

Ethiopian researchers are hoping that a local staple known as false banana could have some real benefits for food security. Enset is little known outside of the country but is nutritious and drought resistant. Also 9 ancient Libyan artifacts have been returned home after having been looted during 21st century conflicts and smuggled out to the US. And we hear from rising Matthew Eguavoen whose work translates complex, contemporary African experiences into vibrant and challenging portraits.

We hear from up-and-coming artist Matthew Eguavoen, whose work translates complex, contemporary African experiences into vibrant and challenging portraits. But first, Ethiopian researchers are hoping that a local staple known as false banana could have some real benefits for food security. Enset is little known outside of the country but is nutritious and drought resistant. Also, nine ancient Libyan artefacts have been returned home after having been looted during 21st century conflicts and smuggled out to the US.

While the official threshold for a COVID wave has not yet been reached, South Africa is facing a surge of infections driven by omicron sub-variants.

Northern Ireland voters go to the polls today (May 5) in what could be the most important election in a generation. They will elect the 90 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, from which a power-sharing executive should be formed. These institutions were created by the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. According to opinion polls, Sinn Fein - representing mostly people of Catholic and Irish background - could become the largest party for the first time.

The British prime minister has faced calls to step down after breaking COVID lockdown rules. In Northern Ireland, polls suggest the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein could win the largest number of seats.

Is it a sign that Northern Ireland is ready to overcome old divides, or of new troubles ahead? For the first time ever, Unionists could find themselves in the minority when ballots are counted in regional assembly elections. Under the Good Friday Agreement, the DUP would still share power with Sinn Fein, who could trigger a referendum on a united Ireland.

After a historic election victory, Sinn Fein is ready to pick Northern Ireland's first minister, but the DUP says it will not form a power-sharing government as long a post-Brexit trade agreement stays in place.

Britain said it would "not shy away from taking action" over post-Brexit trade tensions in Northern Ireland as it rejected EU proposals to resolve the standoff.

After more than two years of denying the virus had gained a foothold, Pyongyang is now struggling to handle thousands of suspected cases with limited medical capabilities.