The U.S. – Africa Leaders Summit ended Thursday with a series of investment pledges and projects for the continent – and a call by President Biden for Africa’s nations to respect democracy, as VOA’s Anita Powell details; 2022 has been a bloody year in the Western Sahel, with a surge of both militant violence and the brutal Russian Wagner Group mercenaries. Henry Wilkins reports from Niamey; And, today’s weekend kickoff starts with a live performance of Togo-now-Washington musician Massama Dogo, hosted by Music Time in Africa’s Heather Maxwell.