Africa

Relatives and supporters of Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah react after Monday's verdict in a trial over an illegal protest.

World News

Egyptian Court Orders Prominent Activist Jailed For 5 Years

7:56pm February 23, 2015

by Leila Fadel

Blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah and 24 others were convicted of violating a law banning unlicensed protests. Activists said the sentences underscore the lengths the government will go to to stifle dissent.

In Africa, land that borders forests is increasingly used for farming.

Good News: More Crops! Bad News: More Plague!

7:40pm February 23, 2015

by Poncie Rutsch

Tiny patches of Tanzanian farmland contain more rats than do nearby forests. These rats are more likely to carry the bacteria that cause the plague in humans.

Mamuedeh Kanneh was married to Laiye Barwor, the man who brought Ebola to Barkedu, Liberia. He died of the virus. She now cares for her children as well as children who lost their parents to the disease.

Life After Ebola: What It Takes For A Village To Be Resilient

9:18am February 23, 2015

by Laura Starecheski

Some think of resilience as a solo act. But the villagers of Barkedu are helping each other move forward in the wake of tragedy. Psychologist Jack Saul shares insights into "community resilience."

A family of Tibetan nomads — they're real, not actors — poses before an Asian backdrop in a new fictional short film.

Tibetan Villagers Pose Before Backdrops, Earn Oscar Nomination

8:53am February 23, 2015

by Linda Poon

They're photographed in front of Asian scenes, a beach, Disneyland. It's a fictional film called Butter Lamp. And it has a real message.

In the movie, the cattle herder Kidane (center, played by Ibrahim Ahmed) and his family live in a tent in the mountains near Timbuktu.

Director Of Oscar-Nommed 'Timbuktu' Found A Star In A Refugee Camp

7:03am February 22, 2015

by Rena Silverman

A 12-year-old girl followed him everywhere. And she got the part. Abderrahmane Sissako tells what it's like to make a reality-based movie in Mauritania.

World News

Zambian Prosecutor Drops Charges In Case Against Himself

9:20am February 21, 2015

It may sound like an episode of The Twilight Zone, but this isn't fiction. Zambia's top prosecutor dropped his own corruption charges and set himself free. NPR's Scott Simon discusses the case.

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The rapid Ebola test from Corgenix Medical Corporation is small and easy to use. But because it involves blood, health workers would still need to run the test at a lab to stay safe.

15-Minute Ebola Test Approved For Fighting The Epidemic

4:57pm February 20, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

The test is as simple as a pregnancy test. So it could help health workers find and stop new outbreaks more quickly. But it doesn't catch every case and still requires some lab equipment.

Rapping The News In West Africa

4:02pm February 19, 2015

by Jake Warga

In Dakar, Senegal, two rappers going by the names Keyti and Xuman offer a summary of the week's news in hip-hop format.

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World News

Italian Island Bears The Brunt Of Migrant Surge From Libya

7:56am February 19, 2015

by Sylvia Poggioli

Italy has recently rescued more than 2,000 migrants off Libya's coast. The holding center on Lampedusa can't handle the surge. Authorities worry Islamist militants might arrive amid the migrants.

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Jimmy Kamara, 9, is one of the students in Sierra Leone who use radios to continue their education while schools remain closed owing to Ebola.

Now This Is An Example Of Truly Educational Radio

7:03pm February 18, 2015

by Linda Poon

In Sierra Leone, schools have been closed since July to keep Ebola from spreading. So the government began a new way of teaching — on the radio.