AU - Africanews

1. Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso holds final rally before election

   Facing a divided opposition, Denis Sassou Nguesso hopes to extend his decades-long rule over Congo.

2. Ivory Coast pays tribute to 19 victims of Grand-Bassam jihadist attack

   In front of a memorial honouring the 19 dead on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara said the attack targeted the nation's “cultural diversity” and “joy of living.”

3. UN chief calls for ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah

   The UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday said the war in the Middle East, involving both Israel and Hezbollah, had caused immense suffering for the Lebanese people.

4. French FM and UN peacekeeping chief discuss CAR peace initiatives

   France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Bangui on Thursday for the first high-level French visit to the Central African Republic in seven years, seeking to rebuild ties with the former colony as it increasingly pivots toward Russia.

5. US-Israel war against Iran: the US base in Djibouti, a potential target?

   Djibouti is home to Camp Lemonnier, the only permanent US military base in Africa. On 10 March, the US embassy in Djibouti issued a security alert “due to ongoing regional tensions.”