That's all for today from the the BBC Africa Live page. Listen to the Africa Today podcast and keep up-to-date with stories from across the continent on our BBC News website. 

A reminder of today's wise words: "The tortoise knows where he bites his brother." A Sudanese proverb sent by Hassan Ishag Ahmed, Nairobi, Kenya. 

Click here to send us your African proverbs. 

And we leave you with a picture from our selection of some of the best images of the week which shows renowned Ghanaian juggler Isaac Aborah performing at the International Circus Festival in Hungary's capital, Budapest:

Image source, AFP

Authorities in Kenya have defended the new broadcast regulations, saying they were not meant to limit freedom of expression, an official has told the BBC.

The new regulations, which will place strict limits on sexual content and ban preachers from soliciting money on air was announced earlier today.

"We are going to be monitoring content, we won't be asking them to show us their programmes before airing but we will monitor them," Christopher Wambua of Kenya's Communications Authority said.

He added that the country has seen a proliferation of obscene content being aired by TV and radio stations.

On the banning of clerics from using mainstream media to raise money, Mr Wambua said they realised that consumers are being taken advantage of and that they have to take action.

The move to ban discussions about sex and relationships on daytime radio in Kenya has got a big reaction.

Our colleagues at Word Have Your Say hosted a discussion to hear people's views.

Some think it's an attack on the freedom of expression, others say it is about responsible broadcasting.

Listen here - scroll through to 34 minutes into the programme:

We like to start and end our day here on the BBC Africa Live page with a proverb - and we know they're very popular.

Today in Kenya, and in other parts of the continent, #AWiseAfricanOnceSaid has been trending on Twitter.

Here's a selection of some of the words of wisdom:

If you want to contribute your proverb to the BBC Africa page click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

The BBC's Maud Jullien has been talking to witnesses to the 11 December killings in Burundi.

Eighty-seven people died in violence that broke out after three military sites were attacked in the capital Bujumbura, the army said.

See what one witness told out reporter:

Some people have said that the security forces were behind the killings, but a government spokesperson says a proper investigation should be carried out.

You can see more on Focus on Africa on BBC World News at 17.30GMT (outside UK only).

BBC Monitoring

The so-called Islamic State group has said it carried out Thursday's truck bombing in the western Libyan town of Zliten which targeted a police training centre. 

At least 47 people died in the attack.

The group said it was part of a wider operation named after the late leader of IS's Libya branch, Abu-al-Mughirah al-Qahtani, apparently aimed at avenging his death. 

IS's Libya branch has carried out other attacks in his name in recent days, including some in oil-rich areas of eastern Libya.

The number of people killed in a suspected outbreak of Lassa fever in 10 Nigerian states has risen to 40, Health Minister Isaac Adewole said, the Associated Press news agency reports.

"The total number [of suspected cases] reported is 86 and 40 deaths, with a mortality rate of 43.2%," Mr Adewole told reporters in the capital, Abuja. 

Twenty-two of the 86 suspected cases have been confirmed as Lassa fever by laboratory tests and results were expected on the remainder, he added.

Cases have been reported from states in the north and south - including the most populous, Kano, and the oil-rich Rivers state, officials said.

Lassa fever is transmitted to humans from rodents that harbour the virus. 

Image source, Science Photo Library

Church leaders from six African countries may walk out of a crucial Anglican meeting next week which could create a de facto split in the church, the Guardian reports, external.

The head of the church, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has called the meeting to try and deal with the long-running differences of opinion over gay rights and same-sex marriage.

The head of the Ugandan church Archbishop Stanley Ntagali said in a statement, external that he would withdraw from the meeting unless "godly" order is restored - in other words he does not want to see the promotion of gay rights.

Kenya's Archbishop Eliud Wabukala also issued a warning ahead of the meeting.

Image source, AFP

A Thai cosmetics firm has withdrawn its video advertising a skin-whitening product after it was attacked on social media for being racist.

The advert for 'Snowz' features famous Thai actress Cris Horwang attributing her success to fairer skin.

The video - which has been published by the Guardian newspaper, external - has the slogan "Whiteness makes you win".

The company behind the product, Seoul Secret, issued a "heartfelt apology", saying it had not meant to offend.

The incident has reignited the debate about attitudes to skin colour in Thailand.

Read more in the BBC News story.

The African Union's commissioner for peace and security has tweeted his praise for Thursday's deal on how cabinet positions should be distributed in the new unity government.

The government is aimed at bringing peace to the country after the two-year long civil war.

Earlier today, President Salva Kiir apologised to the people for the suffering caused by the "unnecessary" conflict (see 11.20 post).

A big crowd has gathered at the airport in Gabon's capital, Libreville, to welcome the newly-crowned African footballer of the year, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. 

The Borussia Dortmund striker became the first Gabonese to win the Confederation of African Football award. 

President Ali Bongo Ondimba - a well-known football fan - tweeted these photos of the crowd:

Image source, Reuters

An eight-year-old boy who was attacked by a group of chimpanzees which tore off his lips, will have them reconstructed in a New York Hospital.

Dunia Sibomana was playing near a river with his younger brother in his native Democratic Republic of Congo two years ago when the animals struck. His sibling died in the attack.

Image source, Reuters

During the first long session of surgery that will see skin being taken from his forearm, doctors at Stony Brook Children's Hospital in the US will aim to restore lips that will improve his speech.

In a follow-up surgery, muscle from Sibomana's cheek will be used to allow him to move his new lips.

You can see more here.

Ivory Coast's Yaya Toure has said it was "sad and indecent" that he failed to win the African footballer of the year award.

Toure was narrowly beaten to the 2015 crown by Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during a ceremony last night in Nigeria. 

“I give an example: it’s Lionel Messi who wins all the trophies but it’s Ronaldo who is Ballon d'Or. What would you say? It’s unjust,” he told Radio France Internationale, external.

“Even Fifa, which is engulfed in a corruption scandal would not do that,” Toure added.

However, the Manchester City midfielder, who has won the last four African player of the year awards, congratulated Aubameyang for his victory.

Image source, AFP

Image source, PDSA

A poacher-hunting dog in South Africa, called K9 Killer, has been awarded a medal for his heroic work in helping save endangered rhinos.

K9 Killer's tracking skills have led to the arrest of 115 poachers in Kruger National Park over the last four years.

His contribution to saving the rhino population was "truly remarkable", said UK vet charity PDSA, which gives gold medals to animal heroes.

There are fears that rhinos, hunted for their lucrative horns, could be extinct within 10 years.

Read the full BBC story here

About 50 prisoners, including convicted murderers and rapists, have escaped from a prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a local official said, the AFP news agency reports. 

The inmates took advantage of a fire to broke out of the jail on Thursday in the town of Kamituga, 170 km (105 miles) south-west of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.

Those on the run include "20 convicted men, two for murder and 18 for rape," Desire Kubuya Masumbuko told AFP.

None of the escapees have yet been recaptured.

Correspondents say jailbreaks are fairly common in DR Congo, where prisons are often overcrowded and living conditions for inmates poor.

Eastern DR Congo has been devastated by armed conflicts over land and control of mineral resources for more than 20 years.

Nigeria has been battling the Islamist militant group Boko Haram for the past six years. 

Suicide bombings still take place on an almost weekly basis, but in recent months the army has made significant gains, taking back most major towns and cities.

For some people life is now getting back to a degree of normality.

BBC Hausa's Jimeh Saleh has returned to his hometown of Maiduguri - where he was invited to a wedding.

Brian Hungwe
BBC Africa, Harare

A court in Zimbabwe has granted bail of $200 (£150) each to two journalists charged with publishing falsehoods. 

Nqaba Matshazi and Xolisani Ncube from the privately owned Newsday newspaper were arrested yesterday for publishing a story that said agents from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) were paid a bonus ahead of other civil servants.

The authorities say the Newsday story is not true.

Defence lawyers say they will file papers challenging the constitutionality of the section they are being charged under.

The journalists will appear again on 27 January.

Image source, Reuters

Gabonese have been congratulating Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after he became the first person from Gabon to win the Confederation of African Football's player of the year award.

This is what some of them told the BBC:

Image source, AFP

Ferdinand Omondi
BBC Africa, Mombasa

Kenyan Ikrima Mohammed Shosi has been arrested in the coastal city of Mombasa on suspicion of links with the Somalia-based militant group al-Shabab. 

He is also suspected of killing police officers

Mr Shosi was picked up at a popular nightspot in central Mombasa, and after a brief court appearance has been remanded in custody 

Court papers reveal he is being investigated for harbouring al-Shabab members. 

Sihem Hassaini
BBC Africa, Tunisia

Animal lovers in Tunisia are trying to save abandoned dogs, which the authorities want to kill over concerns they are spreading rabies.

Stray dogs are becoming increasingly visible in the capital, Tunis, and the authorities have set up special teams to round them up and put them down.

A group called Animal Protection of Tunisia has established the biggest animal shelter in the country, 60km south of Tunis. 

It takes in stray dogs and stops them from being killed by the squads.