SAM MEDNICK

West and Central Africa reporter

Mednick is the West and Central Africa reporter for the Associated Press. She focuses on conflict, humanitarian crises and human rights abuses.

South Sudan says its 6M antelope make up world’s largest land mammal migration, but poaching on rise

South Sudan’s most comprehensive aerial wildlife survey found about 6 million antelope — a figure that would make it the world’s largest land mammal migration.

Experts say Gaza is at ‘high risk’ of famine despite increased aid to the north

A draft report from the leading international authority on hunger crises says an influx of aid appears to have eased conditions in northern Gaza for now.

Israel rescues 4 hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, and 210 Palestinians are reported killed

Israel has carried out its largest hostage rescue operation since the latest war with Hamas began on Oct. 7. Four hostages were freed and the military says they’re well.

Takeaways from AP’s report on sanctioned settlers in the West Bank

More than a dozen Israeli settlers have been targeted by international sanctions over accusations of attacks and harassment against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Israeli settlers in the West Bank were hit with international sanctions. It only emboldened them

More than a dozen Israeli settlers have been targeted by international sanctions over accusations of attacks and harassment against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Famine is possibly underway in northern Gaza despite recent aid efforts, a new report warns

A new report by an independent group of experts says it’s possible that famine is underway in northern Gaza, but that the war between Israel and Hamas and restrictions on humanitarian access have impeded data collection to prove it.

Israeli leader Netanyahu faces growing pressure at home after Biden’s Gaza proposal

Israel’s prime minister faces growing pressure after U.S. President Joe Biden described a proposed agreement to end the fighting in Gaza.

Egypt agrees to send aid trucks through Israeli crossing to Gaza but impact is unclear

Egypt says it has agreed to send U.N. humanitarian aid trucks through Israel’s main crossing into Gaza.

For the children of Gaza, war means no school — and no indication when formal learning might return

Since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted Oct. 7, all Gaza’s schools have closed. That leaves hundreds of thousands of students without formal schooling or safe places to spend their days.

Israel orders new evacuations in Gaza’s last refuge of Rafah as it expands military offensive

Israel has ordered new evacuations in Rafah. The southern city in Gaza is considered the Palestinian territory’s last refuge.

The UN says there’s ‘full-blown famine’ in northern Gaza. What does that mean?

The head of the United Nations World Food Program says northern Gaza has entered “full-blown famine” after nearly seven months of war between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas accepts Gaza cease-fire; Israel says it will continue talks but presses on with Rafah attacks

Hamas says it’s accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal, but Israel says the deal did not meet its core demands and has pushed ahead with an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

There’s progress reported in Gaza truce talks, but Israel downplays chances of ending war with Hamas

A Hamas delegation is in Cairo and Egyptian state media say there has been “noticeable progress” in cease-fire talks for Gaza.

Hamas is sending a delegation to Egypt for further cease-fire talks in the latest sign of progress

Hamas says it’s sending a delegation to Egypt as soon as possible to continue talks in the latest sign of progress in the fragile cease-fire process.

Blinken presses Hamas to seal cease-fire with Israel, says ‘the time is now’ for a deal

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with Israeli leaders in his push for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas to impress on them that “the time is now” for an agreement that would free hostages and bring a pause in the nearly seven months of war.

The US military will begin plans to withdraw troops from Niger

U.S. officials said that they will begin to withdraw troops from Niger but there is no timeline. The planned departure comes comes as U.S. officials said Saturday they were trying to find a new military agreement after relations have frayed between Niger and the U.S.

The US attempts a new military deal with Niger in a last ditch effort to stay

Two Western officials have told The Associated Press that the United States is trying to create a new military agreement with Niger that would allow it to remain in the country, weeks after the junta said its presence was no longer justified.

Israelis grapple with how to celebrate Passover, a holiday about freedom, while many remain captive

Jews around the world will soon celebrate Passover, recounting the biblical story of their exodus from Egypt after hundreds of years of slavery.

Sexual assaults rise in Central African Republic. Wagner, bandits and even peacekeepers are blamed

Sexual assaults and other cases of gender-based violence are rising in Central African Republic. The alleged attackers include everyone from Wagner mercenaries to bandits to United Nations peacekeepers.

For families of hostages, it’s a race against time as Israel’s war reaches six-month mark

It’s the last wish of a dying mother, to see her daughter once more. But six months into Israel’s war, time is running out for Liora Argamani.

Former rebels in Central African Republic disarm but face few options. Wagner is one of them

Nearly 5,000 fighters have put down their arms in Central African Republic since a disarmament program launched nearly a decade ago.

Senegal’s little-known opposition leader Bassirou Diomaye Faye is named the next president

Senegal’s little-known, 44-year-old opposition leader Bassirou Diomaye Faye is named the country’s next president after preliminary results showed that he won the first round outright.

Burkina Faso’s security forces are killing more civilians. Survivors detailed 1 village’s massacre

Women slain with babies wrapped against their bodies. Lifeless children intertwined together. A 2-month-old face-up on the ground.

US military operations across the Sahel are at risk after Niger ends cooperation

The U.S. is scrambling to assess the future of its counterterrorism operations in the Sahel region of Africa after the ruling junta in Niger announced it was ending military cooperation with Washington.

Senegal’s top surfer wants a fighting chance to compete at the Olympics

In four months, the world’s best athletes will be at the Paris Olympics. Yet some competitors say it won’t be truly representative of the global talent as not all countries can afford to give their athletes a fighting chance to get there.

Takeaways from AP visit to Congo as nation offers expanded oil drilling

The central African nation of Congo is looking to expand oil and gas drilling by auctioning off 30 sites around the country.

As Congo seeks to expand drilling, some communities worry pollution will worsen

The central African nation of Congo is known for its mineral riches. Now the country is looking to expand the oil drilling that so far has taken place only in its far west and off its Atlantic coastline.

Senegal’s president says he’ll leave office in April, but gives no date for elections

Senegal’s President Macky Sall says that he will end his term in April as expected, but he has not given a new date for the presidential election originally scheduled for Sunday.

Protestors keep pressure on Senegal’s president to hold elections as soon as possible

Protestors took the streets in Senegal’s capital Saturday to keep the pressure on President Mack Sall to hold elections quickly.

Senegal’s president says election will be as soon as possible, after court overturns delay

Senegal’s government says it will hold a presidential election as soon as possible given that the country’s top election authority has overturned a decree by President Macky Sall to postpone the vote.