Matthew Davies
Editor, BBC Africa Business Report

South Africa's economy has slipped back into recession for the second time in a decade.

The news comes not long after two ratings agencies downgraded a portion of the country's sovereign debt to so-called junk status.

Analysts had expected a better performance. They predicted a slight expansion of South Africa's economy.

But in the event, it shrank by 0.7% in the first quarter of this year, following on from a fall at the end of last year.

While there were encouraging signs from South Africa's mining industry, the main sector that pulled back the GDP figures was manufacturing, which shrank by nearly 4% in the second quarter.

The South African currency, the rand, fell around one percent on the news.

It is now nearly a week since the authorities in Ethiopia shut down access to the internet.

Initially, the government did not say why but later said it was to stop people leaking exam papers during the exam season.

Now, the government spokesperson has been explaining more.

The Addis Standard magazine has been tweeting his comments:

Negeri Lencho said:

The magazine has also tweeted a guide describing how to get around the ban:

Image source, Addis Standard

But these measures are only open to a few.

The third London Bridge attacker has been named as Youssef Zaghba, a Moroccan-Italian man.

Pakistan-born Khuram Butt, 27, and Rachid Radouane, 30, both from Barking were the other two attackers.

Seven people were killed and 48 injured in the attack which began at 21:58 BST on Saturday night.

NHS England said 36 people remained in hospital, with 18 in a critical condition.

We reported earlier that the trial of the 13 South Sudanese soldiers accused of rape and murder was scheduled to resume this morning.

The BBC's Tomi Oladipo has just told us that the trial has now been adjourned and will resume on 20 June.

Former Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote has been described by Steve McClaren as the "toughest player" he has ever seen - but also a man with "the most beautiful smile in football".

The ex-Newcastle boss McClaren paid tribute after the Ivorian, 30, collapsed and died after training on Monday.

His wife in Ivory Coast's commercial capital, Abidjan, is expected to give birth any day, the BBC's Tamasin Ford reports.

And tributes have continued to pour in for the late football great via social media as his name continues to trend on Twitter across the continent:

Milton Nkosi
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

Employees at the call centre for South Africa’s main police emergency number 10111 have downed tools in a row over pay.

10111 is now operating on skeleton staff.

The wage dispute has been going on since 2013.

The striking workers are planning on marching to the police minister’s offices in the capital, Pretoria.

National Police spokesperson Major-General Sally de Beer said “there are contingency plans in place to ensure we have no disruptions and that our services to the community continue as normal”.

South Africa's Western Cape province is bracing itself for severe wet weather weeks after a drought disaster was declared.

Disaster risk management teams and emergency services have been placed on full alert as a cold front is expected to reach land on Tuesday night, reports IOL, external newspaper.

"The public are advised to expect heavy rain leading to flooding, gale-force coastal and interior winds, snowfalls, storm surges and high sea conditions," the City of Cape Town, external website reported earlier this week.

Only last month a drought disaster was declared in the Western Cape after an extended period without rain.

The hospital in Kenya's city of Garissa has been badly affected by the nurses' strike, reports the BBC's Bashkas Jugsodaay.

He visited this morning and found that there were only a small number of patients who have nowhere else to go left on the wards.

Most of the beds were empty and some wards were deserted.

Bashkas says that there are a small number of doctors struggling to treat the patients.

The nurses are demanding a pay rise which was promised last year.

But the government says it can only afford $20m (£15m) to pay the nurses compared to the $400m they are demanding.

Prominent member of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) Helen Zille has until today to respond to her proposed suspension from the party.

The row is over tweets she sent out about colonialism saying that it was not all bad.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said Ms Zille's remarks undermined its reconciliation project.

But speaking to the BBC's Focus on Africa radio programme Ms Zille remained defiant.

She said colonialism was "diabolical" but its legacy was "not only negative". She added that the legacy can be "re-purposed to build a better future for all".

Millions of children in East Africa are at risk of dying from preventable waterborne diseases, the International Rescue Committee, external IRC) is warning today.

The humanitarian NGO says that extensive drought, the absence of reliable food supplies coupled with conflict in parts of East Africa and Yemen have now "directly resulted in a massive and deadly cholera and acute watery diarrhoea" which have put the children in harm's way.

The IRC reports that cases of the deadly illnesses have almost doubled in South Sudan.

It says there are over 130,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea and cholera which have so far led to over 2,000 deaths in South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen.

The WHO, external says cholera can be a deadly disease but it easily treatable.

Image source, IRC

The Ghanaian soldier who was lynched by a mob after being mistaken for an armed robber will get a state burial, President Nana Akufo Addo has said.

Major Maxwell Mahama was serving in Ghana's central region as part of a unit that was attempting to tackle the problem of illegal mining.

After visiting the family, the president announced that the government would set up a memorial fund with the aim of raising more than $100,000 (£77,000).

Mr Akufo Addo also posthumously promoted the dead soldier from the rank of captain to major.

Image source, Ghana Presidency

BBC World Service

The trial of 13 South Sudanese soldiers accused of raping foreign aid workers and killing a local journalist resumes at a military court in the capital, Juba, today.

The attack took place in a hotel in the city last year during fighting between the army and rebels.

If found guilty the men face jail terms of up to 14 years.

A BBC correspondent says the case is a major test of the justice system in South Sudan, the world's youngest country.

The UN and human rights groups have criticised the authorities for not doing enough to tackle the problem of sexual violence.

Image source, AFP

The wife of Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari says he is recovering from his illness.

Aisha Buhari has just returned from a trip to London where the president is getting treatment for an undisclosed illness.

In a statement issued by her spokesperson Mrs Buhari said "he is recuperating fast".

He left for London nearly a month ago - his second trip to the UK for treatment this year.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is acting president, but there has been concern about Mr Buhari's ability to resume his duties.

Mr Buhari thanked Nigerians for their support.

Image source, AFP

Buhari's unhealthy start to 2017:

• 19 January - Leaves for UK on "medical vacation"
• 5 February - Asks parliament to extend medical leave
• 10 March - Returns home but does not resume work immediately
• 26 April - Misses second cabinet meeting and is "working from home"
• 28 April - Misses Friday prayers
• 3 May - Misses third cabinet meeting
• 5 May - Appears at Friday prayers in Abuja
• 7 May - Travels to UK for further treatment
• 6 June - Aisha Buhari says his is 'recuperating fast'

Today’s African proverb:

Image source, AbleStock.com

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