Access to social media networks in Togo has been limited and some users say internet speeds have almost ground to a halt ahead of planned anti-government protests.

"Even in most developed countries, authorities take control of telecommunications in some cases,” said government spokesperson Gilbert Bawara on local radio, appearing to confirm an internet blackout.

Journalists for AFP news agency report that mobile internet has been shut down in the capital, Lomé, ahead of the march, but add that wi-fi networks are still working.

Supporters of various opposition groups are assembling across 10 towns in Togo, AFP reports, despite the government's announcement of constitutional reforms aimed at mollifying their concerns.

One Twitter user has shared this photo of scenes in Lomé:

Today's demonstration follows last week's sentencing of 15 opposition protestors, who were handed jail terms ranging from five to nine months.

They were part of a group of 100 people arrested at march held in Lomé in August, calling for presidential term limits to be imposed.

BBC World Service

Police in Morocco and Spain have arrested suspected members of a jihadist cell who reportedly simulated beheadings in preparation for major attacks.

The Spanish interior ministry said that the cell comprised five Moroccans and one Spaniard, and added that it was at an advanced stage of activity.

The arrests come just weeks after jihadists, mostly of Moroccan origin, carried out twin attacks in Spain that killed 16 people.

Image source, .

We're getting closer to seeing which nations will qualify for the World Cup finals next year after Tuesday's qualifiers.

Egypt gained revenge for Friday's defeat in Kampala by beating Uganda 1-0 in Alexandria to leapfrog their opponents at the top of Group E.

Mohamed Salah scored the winner after six minutes, netting at the second attempt after Uganda goalkeeper Dennis Onyango blocked his first effort.

The North Africans now have nine points, Uganda seven, while Ghana - who have appeared at the last three World Cups - lie in third with five points after thumping Congo 5-1 in Brazzaville.

Congo, with just one point, can no longer qualify for next year's tournament in Russia.

Ivory Coast's hopes of reaching a fourth straight World Cup took a knock when beaten 2-1 at home by Gabon.

The slip-up meant Morocco would have topped Group C with a win in Mali but they missed a penalty in a 0-0 draw.

And things are very tight in group D, where all teams can still qualify for next year's finals in Russia after Cape Verde beat South Africa 2-1 away from home and Burkina Faso and Senegal drew 2-2.

A Kenyan schoolgirl will be held in custody for seven days in connection with a school fire in which nine people died, a magistrate in the capital, Nairobi, has ruled.

The prosecution had asked for 10 days for the police to finish investigations.

No charges have been mentioned yet.

BBC World Service

A leading human rights group has accused the Egyptian security services of using torture systematically in what could amount to a crime against humanity.

Human Rights Watch has documented, external a variety of forms of torture gathered from interviews with 19 former detainees, including electrocution and rape with a stick.

Anger over police abuse helped fuel the uprising of 2011.

The current President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has called for an end to such abuse, with several cases of policemen receiving heavy prison sentences for killing detainees.

But Human Rights Watch says much more must be done.

A Kenyan schoolgirl has appeared in court in connection with a fire at a school in the capital, Nairobi, in which nine people died.

The BBC reporter in court says there has been a lot of media interest and that policemen and court orderlies are now trying to prevent journalists from surrounding the girl:

Her lawyers have asked Magistrate Terrisia Nyangena to have the sitting in camera and she is now considering her ruling.

BBC World Service

At least 15 people have been killed in heavy storms in Mauritania.

Dozens of others were injured mainly when buildings collapsed.

There has been extensive damage to property and many people have lost their homes.

The rains hit hardest in central and southern regions of the country.

This is the first time in nearly 20 years that Mauritania has had such severe storms.

We reported earlier on the Kenyan schoolgirl due to appear in a Nairobi court today in connection with a fire at a school at the weekend, in which nine people died.

“When we heard other screams, we went and tried to put out the fire but it was spreading fast and we ran outside," Nairobi News reports one school pupil as saying, external.

Another student has told the news site: “Most of the students could not even see where they were going because the lights were switched off, and also because of the smoke.”

“Others choked and fainted and we pulled out the ones that we could. It was horrific,” she adds.

On Monday, Kenya's Education Minister Fred Matiang'i said the incident at Moi Girls School in Nairobi "was not an accident, [but] was arson".

Image source, Getty

This entry has been amended to change the number of girls in court from four to one.

Clare Spencer
BBC News

The final, official result of Angola's general election should be known today, according to the government newspaper Jornal de Angola, external which has the headline: “The electoral commission prepares to announce the official election result”.

It mentions that there have been complaints about the counting from opposition parties, but says these were dismissed by the electoral commission.

Provisional results showed that the governing MPLA had a strong lead with more than 61% of the vote. Parliament will then elect the next president - the country's first new leader since 1979 as President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is stepping down.

Meanwhile on Monday, independent newspaper Folha 8, external described the dispute over the counting of the votes as a “deadlock”. It added that the courts do not have the independence needed to resolve this deadlock.

It compared the situation to Kenya, where the Supreme Court overturned August's election result:

Image source, EPA

Read more: Joao Lourenco: Can 'Angola's JLo' fill Dos Santos' shoes?

Image source, Getty Images

South Africa's Kevin Anderson ended American hopes in the men's singles as he beat Sam Querrey to reach the US Open semi-finals.

Anderson won 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (9-11) 6-3 7-6 (9-7) at Flushing Meadows to reach his first major semi-final.

The 28th seed will take on Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta in the last four after the 12th seed beat Argentine Diego Schwartzman 6-4 6-4 6-2.

Anderson, 6ft 8in, and Querrey, 6ft 6in, met in the tallest Grand Slam quarter-final, semi-final or final of the Open era.

Read more on the BBC Sport wesbite

The southern African regional group, Sadc, has condemned Tuesday's killing, external of the head of Lesotho's army Lieutenant General Khoantle Motsomotso and said it is sending a "fact-finding mission" to the country.

In a statement, Sadc said it learnt of the news with "deep shock, sadness and dismay" and called the shooting an "inexcusable barbaric and heinous act".

Lt Gen Motsomotso and two other senior officers were killed in a shootout at a barracks in the capital, Maseru.

Eyewitnesses said the officers burst into the army chief's office and shot him before being killed by guards.

Prime Minister Thomas Thabane urged people to remain calm.

Sadc described the incident as a "serious blight and set back to the ongoing efforts to restore peace, security and stability to Lesotho".

Image source, AFP

The UN Security Council has set up a sanctions system allowing the UN to penalise anyone who violates Mali's 2015 peace deal, obstructs the delivery of aid, commits human rights abuses or recruits child soldiers.

Anyone who violates the terms will face a travel ban or asset freeze, according to the resolution, external which was initiated by France and unanimously adopted by the 15-member Security Council.

A panel of experts has also been established to examine alleged violations.

"Time is not on our side and the peace agreement in Mali is one of the keys to the stabilisation of the regional situation in the Sahel," France's UN Ambassador Francois Delattre told the Security Council.

Islamist militants in northern Mali have continued to carry out violent attacks, undermining the 2015 deal between the government and separatist rebels.

The deal offered partial autonomy to the north of Mali. Tuaregs seized parts of the region in 2012. But the area was then taken over by Islamist fighters linked to al-Qaeda, until they were removed in a French-led military operation in 2013.

Image source, AFP

A Kenyan schoolgirl is due to appear in a court in the capital, Nairobi, in connection with a fire at a school at the weekend in which nine people died.

On Monday, Education Minister Fred Matiang'i said the incident at Moi Girls School in Nairobi "was not an accident, [but] was arson".

There has been a spate of similar attacks on schools in different parts of Kenya, Mr Matiang'i said.

"Most of the investigations are done and I can tell you unequivocally - I have been briefed by the police - that it was not an accident," Mr Matiang'i told a press conference.

Image source, Reuters

This entry has been amended to change the number of girls in court from four to one.

Our African proverb of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs

Welcome to BBC Africa Live where we will bring you the latest news from around the continent.