In Senegal, the bastion of the region's Francophonie, French is giving way to local languages

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — For decades Senegal, a former French colony in West Africa, has been touted as the bastion of the French language in the region. Leopold Sedar Senghor, the country’s first president and a poet, is considered one of the founding fathers of the concept of Francophonie, a...

Book Review: Ta-Nehisi Coates visits Senegal, South Carolina and the Middle East for 'The Message'

Ta-Nehisi Coates always writes with a purpose, so naming his latest collection “The Message” is nothing if not on-brand. But what’s the actual message? Consisting of three pieces of non-fiction, the book is part memoir, part travelogue, and part writing primer. It covers his recent trips to...

At least 30 bodies found on a boat along a migrant route off Senegal

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — At least 30 bodies were found on a boat drifting off the coast of Senegal’s capital, the military said Monday, as the number of migrants leaving West Africa increases. The navy was informed of the vessel's presence on Sunday evening and sent out a boat...

Senegal's president dissolves parliament to call a snap legislative election

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolved the opposition-led parliament on Thursday, paving the way for a snap legislative election six months after he was voted in on an anti-establishment platform. The new election will take place Nov. 17, Faye...

Senegal's president dissolves opposition-controlled parliament to pave the way for a snap legislative election

After migrant boat tragedy, Senegal's president vows sanctions against people smugglers

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal promised severe sanctions against people smugglers during his visit on Wednesday to the town of Mbour, the departure point of a boat that capsized on Sunday, killing at least 37 people. “We will relentlessly track...

Captain of migrant boat tragedy in Senegal turns himself in as death toll rises to 26

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The captain of a migrant boat that capsized off Senegal over the weekend was arrested, local authorities said Tuesday, as the death toll rose to 26. Cheikh Sall, the owner and captain of the boat, turned himself in Monday, Amadou Diop, the district’s...

At least 4 migrants have died and others remain missing after a boat capsized off Senegal

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Senegal over the weekend, leaving at least four people dead and several others missing, local authorities said on Monday. The artisanal fishing boat left the town of Mbour, nearly 80 kilometers (50 miles)...

In Senegal’s thriving hip-hop scene, this beatmaker insists women have a seat at the table

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — In a classroom at the House of Urban Culture, tucked away in the narrow streets of Dakar, Senegal, Aminata Thiam claps her hands in time with a beat she created on her computer. “You just have to find the loop that you want. Cut it, duplicate the sample,...

Spain’s leader in Senegal concludes West Africa tour aimed at tackling irregular migration

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met with Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Thursday to conclude his trip through three West African nations aimed at tackling irregular migration to Spain’s Canary Islands. The two leaders signed agreements...