That's all from BBC Africa Live today. Keep up-to-date with what's happening across the continent by listening to the Africa Today podcast or check the BBC News website.

A reminder of today's wise words:

Click here and scroll to the bottom to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this shot from the Instagram feed of the 1:54 Contemporary Art Fair which opened its doors in London today:

Mary Harper
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Germany has started an investigation to determine the origins of more than 1,000 human skulls from its former colonies in Africa.

Most of them are believed to come from Rwanda. The skulls were shipped to Germany about 100 years ago for an anthropologist who was studying the development of humankind.

They spent decades in storage and became badly damaged.

The skulls have now been reassembled but most of the associated paperwork is missing.

Researchers say the best clues are notes scribbled on the bones themselves.

Image source, AFP

South African soap star Cedric Fourie says casting directors have told him that he doesn't "look black enough" to play certain roles.

The Soweto-born actor told the Times Live news site, external:

Fourie, who plays a "shrewd and manipulative" businessman in SABC drama Skeem Saam, says being able to play a breadth of roles is important to him:

Image source, .

Equatorial Guinea have been expelled from the 2019 Women's World Cup in France for fielding 10 ineligible players and using forged documents.

The players all took part in qualifying for the 2016 Olympic women's tournament in Brazil.

The latest sanctions come on top of their ban from taking part in the 2020 Olympics, which was issued last year.

Fifa has also imposed, external a fine of US$102,000 on the country's football association.

Read the full story on the BBC Sport website.

Chris Ewokor
BBC Africa, Abuja

The Nigerian senate has launched an investigation into alleged financial mismanagement at the state-owned oil company.

This follows the leaking of a letter from Ibe Kachikwu, the state minister for oil, to President Muhammadu Buhari.

It accuses the managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru, of awarding contracts worth more than $26bn (£19.8bn) without due process.

There has been no word so far from Mr Baru. The NNPC's spokesman said it was not possible to comment as the company had not received a copy of the letter.

Nigeria's oil sector has been accused of corruption and mismanagement for decades.

Image source, AFP

French forces are involved in a counter-attack near Niger's border with Mali following the killing of US and other troops by suspected militant Islamists, Reuters news agency has quoted the French army spokesman as saying.

Fighter jets had been sent to the area and French helicopters had been used to evacuate the wounded, Reuters reported Colonel Patrick Steiger as saying.

Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou said there had been a "large number of casualties" when the joint Niger-US patrol was ambushed, AFP news agency reported.

At a meeting of first ladies of the West African regional group Ecowas in Niger's capital Niamey, Mr Issoufou called for a minute's silence in memory of "our soldiers who have fallen on the field of honour" and in memory of "all victims of terrorism", AFP reported.

Three US soldiers have been killed and two others wounded in an ambush in Niger near the border with Mali, the US Africa Command confirmed earlier today, external.

Another soldier from a "partner nation" had also died in the attack, it said.

Mr Issoufou did not give details of casualties.

Image source, AFP

Russell Padmore
Business correspondent, BBC News

The impact of the La Niña weather pattern usually affects countries of the pacific basin like Australia, Indonesia and Latin America nations.

However, southern Africa could receive heavier rainfall than expected and East Africa could see drier conditions than normal, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) warned today.

Farmers across Africa may find these changes to the La Niña weather pattern hits their crops.

That said, WMO weather experts have stressed that a La Niña occurred last year and if it does develop this year it will be weak.

A soldier in the Cameroonian army has killed his commander before fatally shooting himself in the head.

It happened in the town of Mora, in the country's Far North region.

It comes three months after a similar incident in the town of Kousseri.

The Shelby Cobra is such a rare vintage car that a South African factory builds replicas to meet demand.

Zandile Dlamini works there welding the car chassis.

She's one of the few women working on the factory floor in an industry dominated by men.

Video producers: Taurai Maduna and Mark Sedgwick

Shingai Nyoka
BBC Africa, Harare

Image source, Patrick Mugadza

Zimbabwean pastor Phillip Mugadza has failed in his bid to get the country's top court to throw out charges against him for prophesying that President Robert Mugabe will die later this month.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba said the process which led to the case being brought before the Constitutional Court was flawed.

The case would now return to the magistrates court, where Pastor Mugadza - the leader of The Remnant Church - has been charged with "causing offence to persons of a particular race and religion or alternatively causing criminal nuisance".

He got into trouble after predicting in January that Mr Mugabe, 93, would die on 17 October.

At the time of his arrest, his lawyer Gift Mtisi told the BBC:

Pastor Mugadza's lawyers asked the Constitutional Court to throw out the charges on the grounds that they violated his right to free speech.

The prosecution alleges that the pastor insulted the Christian religion and African tradition by predicting Mr Mugabe's death.

Predicting the death of a leader is taboo, according to traditional beliefs.

Sammy Awami
BBC Africa, Dar es Salaam

At least nine people have died and several others have been admitted to hospital in Tanzania's main city Dar es Salaam after consuming illicit alcohol.

Local authorities believe the liquor contained an industrial chemical called 'GV' or Gentian violet, an antiseptic dye normally used to treat infections of the skin, which is suspected to have caused the deaths.

While local brews are usually made using seeds, grains or vegetables in homes, some brewers are believed to be including deadly chemicals in an attempt to make the liquor more concentrated and attract more customers.

No arrests have yet been made in connection with the incident.

The local brew, gongo, is consumed more than any other liquor because it is cheaper than commercial brews.

Authorities here have struggled to clamp down on illicit alcohol. Some local government officials are believed to be either customers or involved in the business themselves.

Image source, AFP

Mary Harper
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Kenya's electoral commission says it is opposed to the governing Jubilee Party's proposed amendments to election law ahead of the re-run of August's annulled poll.

Image source, AFP

A commissioner, Roselyne Akombe, told the BBC it would not be possible to hold a credible election if the changes were made, as time was too short.

With just three weeks to go before the re-run, the government has announced it is buying up Kenya's entire maize harvest and selling it at subsidised prices.

A serious shortage earlier this year caused prices to double.

See earlier post for more details

Image source, AFP

A Zimbabwean journalist, who was arrested after writing a story alleging that an MP handed out second-hand underwear to ruling Zanu-PF party supporters on behalf of First Lady Grace Miugabe, was freed on $200 (£150) bail yesterday, external.

Kenneth Nyangani was also ordered to report to police in the eastern city of Mutare once a week.

He denies charges of defamation following publication of the story on the privately-owned NewsDay website.

Police in Mutare detained Mr Nyangani on Monday evening for "allegedly writing and publishing a story over the donation of some used undergarments" by President Robert Mugabe's wife, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said in a statement.

Zanu-PF MP Esau Mupfumi distributed the underwear to Zanu-PF supporters in Mutare, and said Mrs Mugabe had donated it, NewsDay reported.

The US military's Africa Command has confirmed that three US soldiers were killed and two others were wounded in an attack in Niger near the border with Mali.

A soldier from a "partner nation" was also killed, it said in a statement, without specifying his nationality.

The US army has been providing training to Niger's army to help combat Islamist militants in the region, including the North African branch of al-Qaeda.

Read more on the BBC News website.

Image source, Getty Images

A taxi driver accused of kidnapping a young motorist after a traffic accident in South Africa has been struck off Uber's roster, eNCA news site reports, external.

The news site has spoken to the father of the alleged victim.

He says his son was forced to enter another vehicle by an Uber driver who attempted to extort money from him after a minor "bumper-bashing" near Wits University in Johannesburg:

He says the kidnapper first demanded 2,000 rand ($147; £110) before lowering his demand by 500 rand.

In a statement published by eNCA, Uber said:

The ride-hailing app has 1.8 million users on the African continent, with South Africa and Kenya being its two biggest markets.

Jose Tembe
BBC Africa, Maputo

The mayor of Nampula city in northern Mozambique was shot dead outside his home yesterday - hours after he led a ceremony to celebrate the Day of Peace, a public holiday to commemorate the 1992 signing of an accord to end a 16-year civil war between the ruling Frelimo party and Renamo opposition.

Mahamudo Amurane was shot three times in the abdomen by an unknown gunman, police said.

The motive for the killing is still unclear.

Mr Amurane was a member of the opposition Mozambique Democratic Movement, but fell out with it.

He plan to run for a second term in next year's municipal elections for another party or as an independent.

For more than 50 years Sory Sanle has worked as a photographer in Burkina Faso's second city, Bobo-Dioulasso.

But he didn't place any long-term value on his photos, and was unknown outside of his local area.

Now a gallery in London, external wants to bring him to the world's attention.

More highlights from BBC Newsday.

Bees disrupted a rally yesterday of Kenya's governing Jubilee Party in a town in Taita–Taveta County, some 360km south-east of the capital, Nairobi, the privately-owned Standard newspaper reports, external.

Party supporters scampered for safety when the bees struck, but the insects disappeared after prayers were recited by a politician, it reported.

Politicians blamed Satan for the attack on the rally in Wundanyi town, called to galvanise support for President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of the 26 October election re-run.

The Supreme Court annulled his victory over opposition candidate Raila Odinga in the 8 August election, saying the poll was marred by irregularities.

A swarm of bees attacked police officers and others outside the court in the capital, Nairobi, when judges handed down their full judgement on 20 August.

Image source, EPA

Read: Bible-bashing for votes in Kenya

Image source, AFP

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that the government will re-introduce the maize subsidy which had been stopped after the general election in August.

Speaking at the Nairobi International Trade Fair yesterday, he said:

Maize is a key staple food in Kenya and the subsidy, which was introduced in May and repealed after the poll, will come as a relief to an electorate concerned about record food prices.

President Kenyatta's decision to reintroduce the subsidy comes after the Supreme Court annulled his victory and ordered a re-run, due to take place in three weeks.

Tomi Oladipo
BBC Africa security correspondent

Image source, AFP

The deadly attack on a joint US-Niger patrol will draw attention to the presence of US troops, not just in Niger but in other countries too.

In a letter to the US Congress in June, President Donald Trump confirmed there were 645 military personnel deployed to Niger to support counterterrorism missions there.

The US has long maintained that its troops play a "train, advise and assist" role with its partners, whether in the Sahel or the Horn of Africa.

Its acknowledgement that the troops in south-west Niger were carrying out a "joint patrol" with local forces is being explained as the US providing "security assistance" but it is not clear how broadly this assistance is defined.

The attack also highlights the scale of the jihadist threat in Niger, a vast nation with a varied jihadist presence - Boko Haram in Nigeria, militants linked to both al-Qaeda and so-called Islamic State in Mali, and uncertainty from unstable Libya in the north.

For as long as the regional jihadist threat remains, the US and other Western powers will continue to strengthen their presence on the ground. Their target, the jihadists, will also be motivated to take them on.

See earlier post for more details.