A Kenyan radio station is reporting that Kenya Revenue Authority officers have found a haul of ivory, cunningly disguised within planks of wood at the port in the coastal city of Mombasa.

It is estimated that Africa is losing nearly 30,000 elephants because of poaching driven by a demand for ivory in Asia.

The BBC's Thomas Fessy has been out and about on the streets of DR Congo's capital, Kinshasa, where there have been running battles today between some protesters and security forces after President Joseph Kabila's mandate expired at midnight:

Three UN refugee agency workers who were abducted from Sudan's restive Darfur region last month have been freed, the AFP news agency quotes the UN as saying.

The two Nepalese citizens and one Sudanese national had been kidnapped by armed men on 27 November from el-Geneina in West Darfur state. 

AFP says the UN refugee agency spokesman Adrian Edwards did not provide any further details about the circumstances of the men's release:

Protests have been taking place in several cities of DR Congo, where President Joseph Kabila's term officially ended on Monday. 

Gunfire could be heard in parts of the capital, Kinshasa, early this morning as demonstrators demanded that Mr Kabila step down. 

People still blowing whistles across the capital of DR Congo, Kinshasa. 

They say this signals an end to Mr Kabila's term. 

They are also chanting "Kabila must go", reports the BBC's Charlotte Attwood who sent us these pictures:

Elections have been postponed until April 2018, which the opposition says is a deliberate tactic by Mr Kabila to extend his time in office. 

Two customers at a restaurant in South Africa's city of Cape Town received a bill which identified them as “two blacks”, reports Eyewitness News, external.

The customer Scott Maq tweeted the receipt:

The Bungalow's marketing manager, Micheline Leo, told Eyewitness News that a waiter inputted identification notes to help identify tables.  

The restaurant later apologised in a tweet:

But Mr Maq was not impressed, demanding a personal apology: 

Martin Patience
BBC News, Nigeria correspondent

Image source, Boeing handout

Nigeria’s biggest airline, Arik Air, has suspended more than 55% of its domestic flights because of chronic shortages of aviation fuel.

Workers at the airline have also gone on strike today in protest over pay and working conditions.

The flight cancellations will bring fresh misery to thousands of Nigerians trying to fly home for the Christmas holidays.

In a statement, Arik Air said it was getting less than half the aviation fuel it requires to maintain its service.

In light of the shortages the airline’s deputy managing director told the BBC the company had been forced to slash its schedule. 

But other airlines are still operating and Arik’s business practices have been widely criticised in the past.

Nigeria’s aviation industry is chaotic - travellers are used to poor service - flight delays and cancellations are common.

But the recent fuel shortages appear to have been worsened by the country’s shortage of foreign currency required to pay for aviation fuel. 

Despite being a major oil producer, Nigeria imports all of its aviation fuel because the country’s refineries don’t function properly.  

Anne Soy
BBC Africa, Nairobi

Image source, AFP

Do you exercise often, eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables per day, and abstain from tobacco and alcohol? 

If not, then there is a chance of getting a non-communicable disease, such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes. 

In half of the African countries surveyed in a World Health Organization (WHO) report we mentioned earlier, a quarter of adults had at least three risk factors, increasing the probability that they will get one or more of these illnesses sometime in their lives. 

The WHO report shows that African women above 45 are at a higher risk of getting these diseases. 

While tobacco and alcohol use is lower in Africa compared to other regions, the prevalence of hypertension - otherwise known as high blood pressure - is the highest in the world affecting nearly half the adult population. 

WHO says the trend is worrisome as the condition is a silent killer, often discovered when it’s too late. 

The continent is also the only place with a double burden of under nutrition and obesity. 

Yet all these health issues can be prevented by eating right, drinking in moderation and exercising. 

If such precautions are not taken, it could cost governments a lot more to provide treatment in the coming years.

Image source, EPA

A man who shot and wounded three people at an Islamic centre in the Swiss city of Zurich has been found dead a short distance away.

The attacker opened fire on Monday evening at a Somali-Islamic centre close to Zurich station.

A body and a gun were later spotted under a bridge a few streets away. Police confirmed it was the attacker.

The only information police have given so far is there is no indication of a link with so-called Islamic State.

Two of the victims, aged 30 and 56, were severely wounded while the third man in his mid-30s was in a less serious condition, reports said.

Local media said that around 10 people had been at the centre when the gunman entered the building at around 17:30 (16:30 GMT), wearing dark clothes and a woollen hat.  

Read the BBC News story for more

Image source, Reuters

A 10-year-old girl who was critically wounded in a suicide bombing at a church in Cairo earlier this month, has died of her wounds, AP news agency reports Egypt's state news agency as saying.

This raises the death toll from the attack in the Egyptian capital to 27, AP says.

Maggie Mamoun's funeral will be held at the church that was bombed, the report says.

Egypt's so-called Islamic State affiliate has said it was behind the bombing, although the authorities have blamed the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.   

Image source, AFP

Eleven Gambian ambassadors serving in various countries around the world have called on outgoing President Yahya Jammeh to hand power and congratulate his rival Adama Barrow. 

The diplomats' move comes in the wake of Mr Jammeh's decision to challenge the outcome of the 1 December presidential election, which he had initially accepted - even congratulating Mr Barrow. 

In their joint appeal letter, the diplomats, including the ambassadors to Beijing, London, New York, Moscow and Brussels, say: 

The tone of their appeal is diplomatic rather than hawkish and credits President Jammeh's initial response to the result: 

Efforts by the regional grouping, Ecowas, to convince Mr Jammeh to step down have so far been unsuccessful. 

Image source, Reuters

Police have fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of youths from the streets of DR Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, early this morning, the Reuters news agency reports.

According to the Associated Press news agency, angry demonstrators began putting up barricades to demand that President Joseph Kabila step down after his mandate expired after midnight.

Opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi has called on the people to peacefully resist Mr Kabila’s bid to remain in power until elections are held in April 2018.

The BBC’s Thomas Fessy in Kinshasa says protesters blew whistles around midnight in different parts of the capital to signal the end of Mr Kabila’s term in office.

Repeated gunshots have been heard since then, he says. 

Image source, AFP

DR Congo's President Joseph Kabila, whose second and last term officially ended yesterday, has defied calls for him to step and announced a new cabinet. 

Announced shortly after midnight, it is a 74-strong team of ministers and deputy ministers. 

It is led by Sammy Badibanga, a former MP who had defected from the main opposition UDPS party led by Etienne Tshisekedi.

Mr Badibanga was appointed prime minister last month by Mr Kabila under a deal brokered by the government with one faction of the opposition. 

Members of the political parties which are part of that faction feature in the new cabinet. 

The main challenge for the new cabinet is to maintain security and keep the country together amid the growing pressure on Mr Kabila to step down. 

Read previous earlier post 

Sustained gunfire has erupted in Lubumbashi, DR Congo's second-largest city, the AFP news agency reports.

An AFP reporter says large numbers of police were deployed in the city yesterday as President Joseph Kabila’s official mandate came to an end (see earlier report).

The firing started at 09:15 local time (07:15 GMT) in a southern neighbourhood where demonstrators and police have clashed - streets in the area have been strewn with rocks and burned tyres, AFP reports.

To find out more about why the opposition is opposed to Mr Kabila staying on in power beyond the end of his term, watch the video below:

Image source, Getty Images

An estimated 46% of Africans suffer high blood pressure - the highest worldwide, according to a new a World Health Organization (WHO) survey seen by the AFP news agency.

AFP goes on to say that the WHO survey of 33 countries shows that most adults in Africa have unhealthy habits. 

Report author Abdikamal Alisalad told AFP that he attributed this to urbanisation and growing incomes. 

But he added that he was still shocked by the finding:

Image source, AFP

A former senior officer in Guinea's army, Toumba Diakite, who has been on the run since 2009, has been arrested in Senegal, local media reports.

According to the local radio station RFM, he was detained in the capital, Dakar, by the gendarmerie, the country's paramilitary force.

Mr Diakite was among soldiers who staged a coup in 2008 in Guinea following the death of long-serving President Lansana Conte, paving the way to military rule under Captain Moussa Dadis Camara. 

Infighting between junta members led Mr Diakite to attempt to assassinate Capt Camara, who had accused him of ordering a massacre in September 2009 of opposition supporters.

They had gathered in a stadium in the capital, Conakry, to demand an end to military rule.

Mr Diakite is still wanted in connection with the stadium killings.

Capt Camara has been living in exile in Burkina Faso for the last seven years.

Image source, AFP

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s main opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi has called on people to peacefully resist President Joseph Kabila’s bid to remain in power beyond his mandate.

Mr Kabila's term in office expired at midnight on Monday, and elections to choose his successor are now not due until April 2018 as the voters' roll was not ready to hold polls last month.

In a video posted on social media, Mr Tshisekedi said Mr Kabila, who has been in power for 16 years, had lost all legitimacy.

Earlier, there were late night clashes in several areas of the capital, Kinshasa.

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