Africa – Page 24 – Prologue Journal

Sierra Leone Bans Child Marriage With New Law

New York Times A new law in the West African country of Sierra Leone allows child brides to annul their marriages and be financially compensated. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/world/africa/child-marriage-sierra-leone-africa.html

Finding This Fossil Was Like Spotting a Crocodile in a Canadian Forest

New York Times A bigheaded predator resembling a giant salamander found in an African fossil deposit suggests unwritten chapters of how animals moved onto land. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/science/fossil-namibia-salamander.html

Kings Battle for an Ancient Throne in Nigeria

New York Times Two men claim to be the emir of Kano, an ancient kingdom in northern Nigeria. Their struggle for power and influence is feeding into a wider competition ahead of the country’s next election. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/world/africa/nigeria-kano-emir-kingdom-battle.html

In Nigeria, Female Suicide Bombers Are a Terrorist Group’s Hidden Weapon

New York Times Suicide bombers killed at least 32 people in three attacks in a Nigerian city once controlled by Boko Haram. Women, said experts, are more likely to go unnoticed when carrying out terrorist attacks. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/01/world/africa/nigeria-female-suicide-bombers.html

For South Africa’s Cabinet, Bigger May Not Mean Better

New York Times To accommodate a broad and diverse alliance of parties, President Cyril Ramaphosa increased the size of his executive team. Now the challenge is getting a diverse group of politicians to agree. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/01/world/africa/south-africa-largest-cabinet-cyril-ramaphosa.html

At Least 18 People Killed in Multiple Suicide Bombings in Nigeria

New York Times Officials said that three female attackers had detonated explosive devices at a wedding and at a funeral in a city once ruled by Boko Haram. So far, no group has claimed responsibility. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/30/world/africa/suicide-bombings-nigeria.html

A Trilobite Pompeii Preserves Exquisite Fossils in Volcanic Ash

New York Times A fossil bed in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco is allowing new insights into the anatomies of arthropods that lived a half-billion years ago. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/science/trilobites-fossils-volcanic-ash-pompeii.html

At Least 750,000 on Brink of Starvation and Death in Sudan, Experts Warn

New York Times A devastating civil war is pushing the country toward a full-blown famine, according to the international body that measures hunger. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/world/africa/sudan-famine-starvation.html

Scaled-Back but Determined Protests in Kenya Call for President to Resign

New York Times The demonstrations were held despite his withdrawal of the tax bill that sparked days of protests. Some activists, fearing more bloodshed, warned people not to march to the president’s official residence. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/world/africa/kenya-protests-taxes-president-ruto.html

Behind the Unrest in Kenya, a Staggering and Painful National Debt

New York Times Kenya, the fastest growing economy in Africa, is on the brink of a fiscal calamity. Across Africa, nations are spending more on interest than on health or education. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/26/business/kenya-tax-protests-debt.html