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Paint, parades and power: Africa's top shots

1 day ago

Natasha Booty

BBC News

A selection of the week's best photos from across the African continent and beyond:

It's time for football on Tuesday in Dakar, Senegal, where these men play on sand near the beach.

ZOHRA BENSEMRA / REUTERS Men play soccer near a graffiti mural showing a woman with a perfectly round Afro, in Yoff, a neighbourhood of Dakar. — It's time for football on Tuesday in Dakar, Senegal, where these men play on sand near the beach.

Farm workers harvest apricots in northern Egypt on Sunday, which is not a day of rest in the Muslim-majority country.

MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY / REUTERS A man holds a pile of freshly picked apricots in his hands. — Farm workers harvest apricots in northern Egypt on Sunday, which is not a day of rest in the Muslim-majority country.

Women take to the dancefloor on a night out in Nigeria's capital city...

OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP / GETTY IMAGES Guests react while dancing on the dance floor at Paper Nightclub in Abuja. — Women take to the dancefloor on a night out in Nigeria's capital city...

This club in Abuja has various selfie booths for customers to enjoy.

OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP / GETTY IMAGES A customer poses for a photo in a decorated selfie room at Paper Nightclub in Abuja. — This club in Abuja has various selfie booths for customers to enjoy.

Eleven-year-old Ghanaian spelling whizz Cyleane Equra Ama Quansah competes at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US on Tuesday. The event attracts contestants aged between 8 and 14 from across the world.

KAYLA BARTOWSKI / GETTY IMAGES A girl stands on stage and speaks into a microphone. She holds a yellow board showing her name, country of origin, and the National Belling Bee branding. — Eleven-year-old Ghanaian spelling whizz Cyleane Equra Ama Quansah competes at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US on Tuesday. The event attracts contestants aged between 8 and 14 from across the world.

City of Pantsula group members gear up ahead of the Hillbrow Street Parade on Saturday...

ALET PRETORIUS / GALLO IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES Children in dark tracksuits and monochrome bucket hats stand together in room in front of a mural. — City of Pantsula group members gear up ahead of the Hillbrow Street Parade on Saturday...

Dancers, musicians and residents come together for the event each year in the South African city of Johannesburg.

ALET PRETORIUS / GALLO IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES Children in matching white and black outfits huddle together during a rehearsal in a room. — Dancers, musicians and residents come together for the event each year in the South African city of Johannesburg.

French-Algerian couple Karim Benzema and Lyna Khoudri set tongues wagging on Thursday with their first red carpet appearance together....

SAMEER AL-DOUMY / AFP / GETTY IMAGES A man and a woman pose for photographers as they walk down a red carpet. — French-Algerian couple Karim Benzema and Lyna Khoudri set tongues wagging on Thursday with their first red carpet appearance together....

The footballer and actress were attending the Cannes Film Festival.

SAMEER AL-DOUMY / AFP / GETTY IMAGES A man and a woman smile as they walk down a red carpet and pose for photographers. — The footballer and actress were attending the Cannes Film Festival.

Mayar Sherif of Egypt eyes the ball in her tennis match against Russia's Liudmila Samsonova on Monday during the French Open in Paris.

JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP / GETTY IMAGES A woman wearing a tennis visor stares intently at the ball as she prepares to strike it with her racket. — Mayar Sherif of Egypt eyes the ball in her tennis match against Russia's Liudmila Samsonova on Monday during the French Open in Paris.

On Sunday, women strolling the streets of Algeria's capital take in a mural praising local football team MC Alger.

BILLEL BENSALEM / NURPHOTO / GETTY IMAGES Two women stand in front of a mural wearing the haik - a modest gown covering most of the body typically worn in North Africa. — On Sunday, women strolling the streets of Algeria's capital take in a mural praising local football team MC Alger.

Members of a South African Isicathamiya group sing their hearts out during a showcase in Durban on Saturday. Isicathamiya is a distinctive, a capella chorus style said to originate from migrant Zulu communities.

RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP / GETTY IMAGES Men dressed in matching suits dance and sing in unison. — Members of a South African Isicathamiya group sing their hearts out during a showcase in Durban on Saturday. Isicathamiya is a distinctive, a capella chorus style said to originate from migrant Zulu communities.

Rangers use trackers to check up on a herd of elephants on Friday in the vast Upemba National Park, in south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Wildlife here is vulnerable to poachers and armed groups.

HUGH KINSELLA CUNNINGHAM / GETTY IMAGES A group of men walk in the rainforest, pointing and gesticulating as they decide which way to go. — Rangers use trackers to check up on a herd of elephants on Friday in the vast Upemba National Park, in south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Wildlife here is vulnerable to poachers and armed groups.

It's a slow Wednesday for this shopkeeper waiting for customers in Morocco's capital city, Rabat.

JEWEL SAMAD / AFP / GETTY IMAGES A shopkeeper waits for customers outside his store in a market area in Rabat. — It's a slow Wednesday for this shopkeeper waiting for customers in Morocco's capital city, Rabat.

This large tuna is among the fish on sale at a market in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Friday.

MAHMUD TURKIA / AFP / GETTY IMAGES A merchant carves a tuna fish at his stall at the fish market in Tripoli. — This large tuna is among the fish on sale at a market in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Friday.

Giant African land snails feed on mangos, lettuce and cucumber as they are shown off at the International Exhibition of Agriculture and Animals Resources in Ivory Coast on Sunday.

ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP / GETTY IMAGES Giant African land snails feeding on mangos, lettuce and cucumber. — Giant African land snails feed on mangos, lettuce and cucumber as they are shown off at the International Exhibition of Agriculture and Animals Resources in Ivory Coast on Sunday.

French-Cameroonian singer Yamê poses for the camera at a photocall in Paris on Tuesday.

JOEL SAGET / AFP / GETTY IMAGES A man wearing a denim jacket and copious silver jewellery covers his mouth with his hands and feigns a shocked expression. — French-Cameroonian singer Yamê poses for the camera at a photocall in Paris on Tuesday.

Namibia hold its first Genocide Remembrance Day on Wednesday, as the country continues to push for reparations from Germany. The former colonial power admits it was to blame for the systematic murder of almost 80,000 Africans at the turn of the last century.

Reuters Women wearing Ovaherero attire chant and sing at the official ceremony in Windhoek. — Namibia hold its first Genocide Remembrance Day on Wednesday, as the country continues to push for reparations from Germany. The former colonial power admits it was to blame for the systematic murder of almost 80,000 Africans at the turn of the last century.

On Friday friends welcome Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire after her release by Tanzanian authorities. They have not commented on allegations that she was beaten and raped in their custody.

AFP / GETTY IMAGES A smiling woman is given a bouquet of flowers by people who are smiling and embracing her. — On Friday friends welcome Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire after her release by Tanzanian authorities. They have not commented on allegations that she was beaten and raped in their custody.

South African mother Kelly Smith reacts on Thursday as she is sentenced to life imprisonment for selling her six-year-old daughter. Joshlin Smith vanished in February 2024 and is yet to be found.

SUMAYA HISHAM / REUTERS Kelly Smith, the mother of Joshlin Smith, wipes the corner of her eye during her sentencing at the Western Cape High Court in Saldanha Bay. — South African mother Kelly Smith reacts on Thursday as she is sentenced to life imprisonment for selling her six-year-old daughter. Joshlin Smith vanished in February 2024 and is yet to be found.

On Friday, a trio of Saluki dogs gambol on a beach in Tunisia.

FETHI BELAID / AFP / GETTY IMAGES Tunisian Saluki hunting dogs play on a beach in Cap Angela, in the Bizerte region. They are tall, lightweight muscular dogs similar in appearance to greyhounds. — On Friday, a trio of Saluki dogs gambol on a beach in Tunisia.

From the BBC in Africa this week:

Getty Images/BBC A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa

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