BRICS & Ethiopia’s New Year: Ethiopia kicked off Enkutatash 2019 with a wide agenda—diplomacy, investment, digital push, reconciliation—and renewed talk of securing reliable Red Sea access after Abiy Ahmed’s BRICS summit push in New Delhi. West African Music Live: Sean Gaskell brings kora music—songs tied to centuries of Mande history—to Middleboro Public Library on Oct 6. South Africa Summer Culture: Soweto Kota Festival drew crowds to Elke Stadium with DJs, more than 30 stalls, and a full-on kota “battle” of township flavours. Afrobeats Spotlight: Yemi Alade drops her self-titled 7th studio album, leaning into pan-African collaborations and guitar-led storytelling. Amapiano Goes Global: A look at how amapiano’s log drums and township roots turned into worldwide hits, including Tyla’s “Water.” Rema x Rvssian: The duo reunites on dancehall-tinged Afropop/reggaeton single “Oh No.” Drug Bust in Lagos: NDLEA seized 44.45kg of synthetic cannabis (“Colorado/Colos”) from UK-linked cargo and music speakers, arresting suspects tied to the shipments. Eswatini Sports & Youth Olympics: Eswatini joined “We Run for Africa” ahead of Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics with a 5km walk in Lobamba.