Senegal’s former president Macky Sall is one of four candidates auditioning this week for the United Nations’ top job. The 64-year-old was nominated by Burundi, Neither Dakar nor the African Union have endorsed him.

Algeria on Sunday launched a fresh call for international bids for hydrocarbon concessions, seeking to boost energy investment as global markets reel from the war in the Middle East.

The Strait of Hormuz remained closed on Monday as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran. Washington said talks were due to resume on Monday but Tehran says it has “no plans” to participate.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday delivered a message of peace and reconciliation at the Sanctuary of Mama Muxima, a revered Catholic site that once served as a hub of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Thousands of demonstrators marched in Rabat on Sunday, denouncing a new Israeli law that would allow the execution of Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks, while reaffirming support for the Palestinian cause.

Angolan opposition leader Adalberto Costa Júnior praised Pope Leo XIV for his speech in support of Angolan people on Saturday.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congo River Alliance rebel coalition made progress on a protocol on humanitarian access, judicial protection, ceasefire oversight and the release of prisoners.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called on Angolans to “build hope for the future” and fight corruption, as he celebrated Mass before an estimated 100,000 people outside the capital.

The largest performing arts market on the African continent is back in Abidjan. The 2026 edition of MASA took over the capital’s Culture Palace with hundreds of diverse shows.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva strongly criticised the members of the United Nations Security Council during the Meeting in Defence of Democracy in Spain on Saturday.

Three Senegalese football fans who were detained in Morocco have been released on Saturday.

Argentina marked one year since Pope Francis’s death on Friday 18 April 2026 with a large open air tribute in Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires. A DJ priest led the tribute, mixing electronic music with messages of peace. The gathering drew large crowds.

Togo presented its new geopolitical and security strategy for the Sahel during a high-level meeting in Lomé on Saturday.

China has tested humanoid robots in a real race setting in Beijing. The event highlights advances in endurance, balance and AI behaviour. Engineers see it as a step towards wider use.

Pope Leo XIV challenged Angola’s leaders to break the “extractivism” that has plundered and exploited Africa for centuries, as he arrived in the southern African country on Saturday with a message of encouragement for its long-suffering people.

Pope Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Angola, opening the third leg of his four-nation tour across Africa, with a message focused on hope, peace, and social justice.

Pan-African activist Kemi Seba has been arrested in South Africa, where authorities say an extradition process is now underway.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran are rising sharply over access to key shipping routes in the Persian Gulf, as both sides harden their positions.

Pope Leo XIV has celebrated Mass in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, as he continues his 11-day tour across Africa.

A controversial “Sovereignty Protection Bill” under review in Uganda’s Parliament is raising alarm among critics who say it could have far-reaching and potentially severe consequences for ordinary citizens.

Excitement is building in Angola as crowds prepare to welcome Pope Leo XIV to the capital, Luanda, during his 11-day tour across four African nations.

The United Nations Security Council was briefed Friday on the worsening humanitarian conditions in South Sudan less than a week after opposition forces retook the strategic town of Akobo from government troops.

During a speech celebrating the 80th year anniversary of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Antonio Guterres warned that international law was falling apart before the world’s eyes.

A World Athletics panel has refused 11 athlete transfer requests to Turkey, over what it referred to as a ‘coordinated recruitment strategy’ from the country’s government.

Restrictions on several social media platforms that were noticed earlier in the week have now been lifted. Among the platforms were TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

A ceasefire in Lebanon has brought a pause in fighting after weeks of war. Residents are returning to damaged homes as questions remain over how long the truce will hold.

In Europe, stocks surged in response to the news, with major indexes in France and Germany rising more than 2%. However, Asian markets, which closed before the announcement, ended the day lower.

US President Donald Trump thanked Tehran but said the naval blockade on Iran would stay in place until a peace deal is signed.

After being deported from the U.S., around 15 people touched down in Kinshasa early Friday, under agreement between the Congolese government and the Trump administration.

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 29, admitted in a Johannesburg court to illegally being in the country and pointing a firearm—but denied shooting and seriously injuring his gardener during an altercation in the upscale Hyde Park suburb.

The Iran war and resulting global energy shock are driving some countries in Africa and Asia to ramp up nuclear power generation.

At Mass in Doula he also told young people to reject every form of abuse or violence, and to always show hospitality and care for one another.

A group of three masked robbers held 25 people hostage during a bank heist in Naples on Thursday 16 April 2026 before escaping through a tunnel connected to the city’s sewer network, authorities said.

How do you guarantee a good turn out at a funeral? In Kenya, some families are hiring professional mourners to give their loved ones the ultimate send-off.

Germany is hosting the Affordable Art Fair Berlin from 16 to 19 April 2026. The event brings together dozens of galleries and focuses on artworks priced under €500, aiming to broaden access to contemporary art.

Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze is under investigation over allegations of fraud and breach of trust linked to a 2008 cultural festival for which he was one of the organisers.

Some 80 per cent of the country’s inhabitants are Catholic, but Leo is the first church leader to visit since Pope Jean-Paul II almost half a century ago.

Immigrants in Spain hoping to apply for the government’s amnesty are facing long lines as they race to gather their paperwork.

Netherlands opened its Keukenhof garden in Lisse for the 2026 spring season, welcoming visitors to an eight-week display featuring around seven million flowers.

Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s decomposed remains were found last September in an abandoned vehicle registered to him.