Syria
It rarely makes the international headlines anymore but Syria’s ruinous civil war grinds on and is now in its 11th year. Today, a hospital in the rebel-controlled town of Afrin was hit by shelling, killing at least 13 people, including two medical staff.
More from Reuters here (paywall). And the Associated Press here.
Algeria
Legislative elections were held in Algeria today two years after a street protest movement forced then President Abdelaziz Bouteflika out after two decades in power. Turnout was reported to be dismal after a crackdown on Hirak - the protest movement that toppled Bouteflika - which had been holding weekly marches calling for wide-ranging changes to the political system. Hirak urged its supporters to boycott the vote.
More from Al Jazeera here. And a discussion show here.
Nigeria
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the nation today as protests marking the country’s Democracy Day were held calling for his resignation over insecurity, youth unemployment and other issues. Buhari admitted that his government had failed to defeat Boko Haram and other armed groups, which was one of the president’s key promises when he was first elected in 2015. He expressed condolences to families who had lost people to the conflict and pledged continued efforts to ensure security. Buhari has come under intense pressure in recent weeks to halt growing violence and kidnappings in the northeast as well as to fix a sputtering economy. He last week banned Twitter after it removed one of his tweets.
More from BBC here.