Taliban faces security challenge from ‘Islamic State’

The latest round of protests against Sudan's military are met with tear gas, sparking clashes with security forces. Rallies were held in Khartoum and neighbouring cities on Tuesday. Also, the first findings of an inquiry into corruption under former South African president Jacob Zuma establish that state decisions were shaped by private individuals and interests during his nine years in power. Finally, we sample the Pan-African offerings of award-winning experimental Congolese chef Dieuveil Malonga at his Kigali restaurant.

Police in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, say dozens of protesters have been killed in attempts to storm public buildings. After a request for help from Kazakhstan's president, Russia is leading an alliance of ex-Soviet states in sending what they call peacekeeping forces.

On December 23, Mali was accused by several of its international partners, including France, of allowing mercenaries from the Russian private security firm Wagner Group into its territory. Though the Malian government denied the accusations, several Russian military airplanes have flown between Bamako and Russia over the past few months. We take a closer look.

Thousands of journalists have lost their jobs in Afghanistan over the past few months, with many media outlets ceasing operations due to increasing security and financial challenges.

Thousands of journalists have lost their jobs in Afghanistan over the past few months as many media outlets ceased operations due to increasing security and financial challenges.

Professor Faizullah Jalal has openly criticized the Taliban since the group took over Afghanistan last year. However, his family disputed the posts which the Taliban claim he made on social media.

An investigation has uncovered that Denmark's secret service helped the US to spy on German politicians. It's not the first time there have been reports of the NSA monitoring German leaders, but it is the first time Denmark has been named as a direct partner.

Afghanistan is the world's top producer of opium and the illegal drug trade has helped finance the ruling Taliban. Over the past decades, millions of Afghans have fallen into drug addiction. The Taliban now claim they want to eradicate the use of narcotics. When they were in power from 1996 to 2001, the fundamentalists had banned poppy cultivation. But the intervention of US-led troops in 2001 relaunched opium production. Today, it remains permitted and is even intensifying in a country on the brink of economic collapse. Our team on the ground reports.

A total of 150 Taliban soldiers on Thursday graduated from the first brigade of the 203rd Mansoori Corps in the southeastern zone after three months of training in the southeastern Khost province. Officials at the brigade say the graduates are well-trained and will strongly defend Afghanistan.

Authorities in Mauritania have resurrected a 100-year-old nomadic police force to help protect local communities.

The Central Committee of Sudanese doctors say seven civilians have been killed by security forces. UN Security Council members urged "utmost restraint."

The Taliban representatives are discussing humanitarian aid in Oslo, their first official talks in Europe since they seized power. Their arrival prompted protests.