• In Senegal, the Constitutional Council accepted on Thursday the date of March 24 set the day before by the head of state, Macky Sall, for the presidential election.

    He deemed it compliant with the requirement to organize the vote before the end of the president's term on April 2.

  • Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced on Wednesday the creation of a “joint force” intended to combat jihadist forces.

    It will be “operational as soon as possible”.

  • In Egypt, eight leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, including their supreme leader Mohammed Badie, were sentenced to death by a special court on Monday.

    They were on trial for violence in 2013 following the dismissal of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

  • In the Democratic Republic of Congo, M23 rebels seized several towns and villages in the Rutshuru territory in the east on Wednesday, causing the flight of more than 100,000 people, according to the UN.

    The M23, supported by the Rwandan army, took control of the town of Nyanzale, located 70 km north of Goma, the capital of the province.

  • On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, UNICEF denounced the sharp increase in the number of victims of genital mutilation.

    With more than 144 million women circumcised, Africa is the continent most affected.

    In addition to the long-term psychological and physical consequences, they encounter fertility problems, complications during childbirth, stillborn babies and pain during sexual relations.

Presidential election in Senegal: an express campaign, in the middle of Ramadan, to end the crisis

After a month of tensions linked to the postponement of the presidential election, the Head of State and the Constitutional Council finally agreed on Thursday on the date of March 24, relaunching the electoral race 17 days before the deadline.

A decision which presents significant challenges for the candidates, forced into a shorter campaign and which will take place, for the first time, during the month of Ramadan.

Restoration of the great mosque of Timbuktu in Mali: a highly anticipated annual event

Every year Malians celebrate the restoration of the great Djingareyber mosque in Timbuktu, a monument built in the 14th century and listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

A tradition that continues despite security and political tensions.

The collective plastering work on the monument promotes “living together” and “social cohesion”.

14:31

Eastern DRC: more than 100,000 new displaced people in two days of fighting © France24

Presidential election in Senegal: deaf people better equipped to vote

After several weeks of political crisis linked to the postponement of the presidential election scheduled for the end of February, the vote should finally be held at the end of March.

Nearly 7 million Senegalese are called to the polls.

Among them, deaf and hard of hearing people who are preparing to vote for their head of state with the help of an electoral glossary written in sign language.

An essential initiative so that they can exercise their rights in complete autonomy.

02:32

Presidential election in Senegal: deaf people better equipped to vote © France24

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