People in Senegal are getting ready for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice. Families around the world will slaughter an animal, like a sheep or goat, to commemorate the willingness of the Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, in obedience to God. And as people choose what to wear, tailors are cramming to complete their outfit orders in time.
Senegal is often seen as a model of political stability in West Africa. But that could be changing. President Macky Sall has upset people with the suggestion that he may run for a third term next year, defying the Constitution, and young people are increasingly frustrated by a lack of opportunities. Recent protests turned deadly, and most victims were under the age of 30.
NASA is working with Senegalese astronomers to measure the dimensions of asteroids in outer space. Astronomer Maram Kaire speaks with The World’s host Marco Werman about the work of “chasing after the shadow cast by the asteroids.”
Somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 children are forced to beg on the streets of Senegal. The money they collect goes to their Quranic instructors in exchange for teaching, food and housing. Rights activists say it’s a form of modern slavery. But some in Senegal say it’s just tradition.