Summary

  • US drone strike 'kills 150' militants in Somalia

  • South Africa's president accused of making sexist remarks

  • Kenya's Oscar-winning actress wows critics in Broadway play

  • Nigerian 'killed' in row over who is world's best footballer

  • Deadly shoot-out at Tunisia-Libya border

  • Email stories and comments to africalive@bbc.co.uk - Monday 7 March 2016

  1. Scroll down for today's storiespublished at 18:04 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    We'll be back on Tuesday

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

    A reminder of today’s African proverb:

    Quote Message

    Mother, carry me, and I will carry you."

    A Bemba proverb sent by Clinton Mweemba, Lusaka, Zambia.

    Click here to send your African proverbs.

    And we leave you with this tribute to renowned Malian guitarist and singer Ali Farka Toure, who died 10 years ago after a battle with cancer.

    BBC Focus on Africa radio's Bola Mosuro spoke to Toure's good friend Lucy Duran about the musician:

    Media caption,

    Ten years ago Africa lost one of its greatest musicians, Mali's Ali Farka Toure

     Photo: Tiago Angelino, Lisbon, July 2005. Courtesy of World Circuit.  

  2. Free bus tickets for Tanzania teacherspublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Tulanana Bohela
    BBC Africa, Dar es Salaam

    Tanzanian teacher Beatrice Mhina
    Image caption,

    A teacher shows off her free bus pass

    Teachers in a district of Tanzania's main city Dar es Salaam can now travel for free on buses to get to and from school, as part of a scheme which officials hope will be extended to the whole city. 

    Around 3,000 teachers in  Kinondoni  district are expected to receive the bus passes by the end of the week. 

    The passes can only be used at specific times in the morning and evening. 

    Most teachers currently use buses called Daladalas to get to school paying approximately 18 US cents per trip.

    The initiative was set up by the city authorities and the Dar es Salaam Commuter Bus Owners Association.

  3. US strike 'weakens' al-Shababpublished at 18:00

    Somali al-Shebab fighters gather on February 13, 2012 in Elasha BiyahaImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    Al-Shabab is the most deadly militant group in East Africa

    Al-Shabab fighters had neared the completion of specialist training to conduct "offensive operations" when the US launched a drone strike on their base in Somalia, killing about 150 f them, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis has said, AFP news agency reports. 

    "Their removal will degrade al-Shabab's ability to meet the group's objectives in Somalia, which includes recruiting new members, establishing bases and planning attacks on US and Amisom forces there," he said, referring to the African Union mission in Somalia. 

    The training camp had been under surveillance for some time, Capt Davis added, AFP reports.

  4. Stowaway 'applies for asylum' in Swedenpublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Ground crew staff at Stockholm's Arlanda airport have found a stowaway hidden in a cargo container on a flight from Ethiopia, police say, AFP news agency reports. 

    The man has applied for asylum in Sweden, police added, AFP reports. 

    There was no immediate confirmation of the man's nationality or age, but Swedish news agency TT reported he was 27 years old.

  5. 'Al-Shabab camp' hit in strikepublished at 17:11 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    The US drone strike had targeted a training camp of al-Shabab in Somalia, the Pentagon has said, AFP news agency reports.

    "The fighters were there training and were training for a large-scale attack. We know they were going to be departing the camp and they posed an imminent threat to US and [African Union] forces," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis is quoted as saying. 

    "Initial assessments are that more than 150 terrorist fighters were eliminated," he added. 

    Capt Davis said the strike took place at some point on Saturday, and the camp was about 195km (120 miles) north of the capital, Mogadishu. 

    Al-Shabab has not yet commented on the claim.

    Read: Who are al-Shabab?

    AU troops in SomaliaImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    African Union troops have been struggling to defeat the militants

  6. US strike 'kills 150' in Somaliapublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016
    Breaking

    More than 150 al-Shabab fighters have been killed in a US drone strike in Somalia, the Pentagon says, Reuters news agency reports.

    Al-Shabab fightersImage source, The al-Qaeda-linked militants have carried out attacks across the region
  7. Ex-Nigerian military chief's home seizedpublished at 16:57 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Nigeria's elite anti-corruption agency, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has seized a home of a former chief of defence. 

    Retired Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh has been accused of stealing $20m (£14m) from the air force and buying a mansion, at a time when government forces were battling militant Islamist group Boko Haram.  He has denied the charges. 

    A BBC producer has tweeted a photo of the mansion: 

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  8. Priest quits over racist threatspublished at 16:20

    Olivier Ndjimbi-Tshiende, giving sermon 6 Mar 16Image source, EPA

    A Catholic priest of Congolese origin has resigned in southern Germany after getting death threats and racist abuse.

    Olivier Ndjimbi-Tshiende, 66, told parishioners of his decision during a church service on Sunday in Zorneding, a small town near Munich in Bavaria.

    Read the full BBC story here

  9. Deadly plane crash in South Africapublished at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    A plane has come down in South Africa, near Lanseria airport in the main city, Johannesburg. 

    A campaign group has been tweeting about it:

  10. Nigeria's Oshoala close to joining Arsenalpublished at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  11. Dangote eyes rice productionpublished at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Africa's richest man, Nigeria's Aliko Dangote, says his firm plans to produce one million tonnes of rice within the next five years in the West African state, Reuters news agency reports. 

    Nigeria so far imports 2.8 million tonnes of rice annually, most of which is smuggled into the country, he said during an economic summit in the main city, Lagos.

    "Our projects are mainly import substitution," he said. "We are working to be self-sufficient."

    Dangote's main interest is in cement, oil, food and sugar business.

    Aliko DangoteImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Dangote has business interests in several African countries

    The billionaire businessman also says he wants to buy phosphate from Morocco and potash from Congo-Brazzaville to feed a planned fertilizer plant.

    Mr Dangote said his firm was close to signing a deal with a Moroccan firm to supply phosphate, without giving details, Reuters reports.

    Dangote Group has raised a $3.3bn (£2.3bn) loan to develop a $9bn oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy and top oil producer. It has invested $3.5bn of its own equity.

  12. Men held in Kenya 'for planning to join IS'published at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Mohamed Kassim, Faraj Swaleh, Ali Omar and Kassim Ali at the Mombasa law court, Monday, March 7, 2016Image source, AP

    Kenya police say they have arrested four young men on suspicion of attempting to leave the country to join the militant Islamic State group in Libya, the Associated Press news agency reports. 

    The four appeared in court in the coastal city of Mombasa where police, through a public prosecutor, asked for permission to hold the suspects for an additional 30 days, while investigations continue, AP reports. 

    The men have not yet been charged, and have not commented on the allegation against them. 

  13. 'Unprecedented' assault on Tunisiapublished at 15:23 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi speaks during the 33rd session of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers in Tunis, Tunisia, March 2, 2016Image source, Reuters

    Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi has vowed to "exterminate these rats", in his first comments since militants Islamists launched a deadly assault on police and army posts near his country's border with Libya, AFP news agency reports. 

    In statements broadcast on state television, Mr Essebsi said the attack was coordinated, unprecedented, and "maybe aimed at controlling" the border region, AFP reports. 

    Forty-four people were killed, including seven civilians, in the shoot-out between the militants and government forces. 

    See our 14:48 post for analysis from our Tunis correspondent

  14. Your reaction: Man 'killed in Messi-Ronaldo row'published at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    #BBCAfricaLive

    Some of you have been reacting to our story, based on a report by the AFP news agency, of a Nigerian man who stabbed his friend to death in India after arguing over whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo was the best footballer in the world:

  15. Somalia-bound ship loaded with weapons interceptedpublished at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Tomi Oladipo
    BBC Africa security correspondent

    Weapons intercepted by Australian navyImage source, Australian Navy

    The Australian navy says it has seized a huge cache of weapons on a fishing boat that was apparently heading for Somalia. 

    Grenade launchers, machine guns and nearly 2,000 assault rifles concealed under fishing nets were found by one of its warships, it added.

    It's not clear who was transporting the weapons or the final destination of the boat. 

    The Australian warship is part of an international naval force which is enforcing UN sanctions - these authorise the interception of weapons heading for Somalia. 

    Despite the ban, the UN allows the Somali government to buy light weapons for its fight against militant Islamist group al-Shabab.    

    Weapons intercepted by Australian navyImage source, Australian Navy
  16. Why Tunisia is vulnerable to Islamist attackspublished at 14:48 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Rana Jawad
    BBC North Africa correspondent, Tunis

    Tunisia produces more people who go off to join jihadi groups in Iraq, Syria or Libya, than any other country in the region.

    Now it is having to deal with the problem that officials have long been reluctant to admit to.

    Tunisia is becoming increasingly vulnerable to militant attacks, but counter-terrorism measures by the state are not limited to securing its border crossing with Libya.

    The army has been engaged in battles with local militants in the Chaambi Mountains, along its south-eastern border with Algeria for over a year.

    Tunisian Islamist militants in Libya are now being targeted and may be trying to return to their home country to carry out attacks there.

    Tunisian soldiers on patrolImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Tunisia has dug a trench along the border with Libya to help protect it from militants

  17. Young and Connected: The BBC's first WhatsApp seriespublished at 14:47 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Young and Connected is BBC Africa's first ever WhatsApp series  - bringing the story of the rise of youth groups who are challenging their leaders who want to stay in power or who are not accountable. 

    This is happening in African countries like Senegal, Burkina-Faso, Congo Brazzaville, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where our reporter Maud Jullien spent some time with a group called Lucha, in the eastern city of Goma, which has been badly hit by years of conflict. 

    This is chapter one of the week-long series.

    Media caption,

    Young activists in Goma are campaigning for peace

  18. Rave reviews for Lupita Nyong'opublished at 14:00 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Actress Lupita Nyong'o attends the 'Eclipsed' broadway opening night after party at Gotham Hall on March 6, 2016 in New York CityImage source, AFP

    Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o has wowed critics in Broadway play Eclipsed - written by none other than Walking Dead's Danai Gurira, who plays Michonne.

    It's not for the faint-hearted, depicting the roles women played in the second Liberian civil war, during which warlords conscripted child soldiers and performed human sacrifices.

    Zainab Jah, Saycon Sengbloh and Lupita Nyong'o appear onstage during the 'Eclipsed' broadway opening night at The Golden Theatre on March 6, 2016 in New York CityImage source, AFP

    Ms Nyongo made her stage debut, but this obviously didn't hold her back as she played a 15-year-old girl among several women held captive as a warlord's "wives".

    The New York Times, external was fulsome in its praise, describing her as "one of the most radiant young actors to be seen on Broadway in recent seasons".

    Deadline , externalsaid she "lights up" the stage, while Variety , externaladded that her performance was "intelligent".

    ABC News, external said she "soared" in her role and Entertainment Weekly , externaldescribed the actress and her fellow cast members as "captivating to watch".

    Before the show, its star tweeted a few tips for people going to see the play: 

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

    And it looks like playwright Gurira was pretty excited too - here's her picture of her with the cast:  

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post 2

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post 2
  19. Tunisia death toll risespublished at 13:47 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    The number of people killed in the shoot-out between Tunisia's security forces and militant Islamists has risen to 44, the government has said. 

    The dead include 28 militants, seven civilians, one customs official, and eight soldiers and security officers. 

    The militants crossed over the border from Libya and attacked an army barracks in the town of Ben Guerdane in eastern Tunisia, the government says. 

    map
  20. Nigerians 'burn to death' in crashpublished at 13:23 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2016

    Ishaq Khalid
    BBC Africa, Bauchi

    Eighteen people have been killed in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck in Nigeria. 

    Seventeen of the passengers on the bus were burnt beyond recognition when it caught fire as a result of the accident on the road between the north-eastern city of Bauchi and the central city of Jos, police said. 

    Accidents in Nigeria are frequent because of bad roads, reckless driving and poor maintenance of vehicles.