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 checking the BBC News website.

A reminder of today's wise words:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this image taken in the Sahara desert, looking over a rather unusual scene:

Image source, Reuters

Kenyans have taken to Twitter to speculate over what may have caused a massive power outage in parts of the country. Neighbouring Uganda has also experienced a blackout.

The last time a similar incident happened, the firm in charge of electricity distribution blamed a monkey which had fallen onto a transformer.

Kenyans are now wondering if the primate - which survived the 2016 shocking ordeal - or one of its relations could be behind the current outage:

Image source, Reuters

Migrants expelled from Israel are risking their lives to reach Europe, the United Nation's refugee agency has warned.

The UNHCR revealed "most" of the 80 Eritrean migrants it spoke to in Rome had accepted money from Israel to leave the Middle Eastern country, then undertook the dangerous journey through North Africa to Europe.

The migrants were offered the money - totalling $3,500 (£2,500) - to voluntarily settle back at home, or in an agreed third country.

But instead many have headed north, following the well-trodden route to Libya and then across the Mediterranean.

All of them suffered abuse, torture and extortion along the way, the UNHCR said in a statement, external.

The UNHCR is warning far more people could put themselves at risk should Israel push ahead with its plan to force more than 30,000 migrants - many from Eritrea and Sudan - out of the country.

Last week it announced it will start jailing all migrants who fail to leave by April.

The agency has appealed to Israel "to halt its policy of relocating Eritreans and Sudanese to sub-Saharan Africa".

UNHCR spokesman William Spindler, speaking to journalists in Geneva, Switzerland, condemned the plan as not being "coherent" and lacking transparency, calling on Israel to come up with a different solution.

A massive power outage has plunged parts of Kenya and Uganda in darkness.

The utility firms in charge of electricity distribution have confirmed the incident, saying they were working to fix the problem.

Umeme's has tweeted that the outage has affected "many areas" in Uganda:

Kenya Power says that the capital, Nairobi and surrounding areas have been affected:

Mary Harper
Africa editor, BBC World Service

President Buhari has ordered Nigeria's police chief to relocate from the capital Abuja to Benue state, to deal with an upsurge in violence there.

More than 90 people have been killed in Benue and neighbouring Taraba state in the past week.

Eighty-thousand have been displaced by the clashes.

A BBC reporter in Nigeria says the real number of dead is believed to be much higher.

Most of the violence is between nomads and settled farmers, who fight over access to land.

Image source, Getty Images

The United Nations has promised to support Equatorial Guinea in its stabilisation efforts following an alleged coup attempt.

A UN special envoy to the country, Francois Fall, condemned any attempt to seize power by force.

Equatorial Guinea said it shot dead one mercenary on the Cameroonian border in late December.

At least 30 other armed men, from different parts of Africa, were arrested in Cameroon, allegedly on their way to Equatorial Guinea.

The country's president Teodoro Obiang Nguema has been in power for 38 years. His government is often accused of corruption and human rights abuses.

In Nigeria, Punch news-site is running an online poll, external asking if Miyetti Allah, the umbrella body of cattle breeders, should be banned after one of its officials defended the New Year killings in central Benue state.

Garus Gololo, who represents the organisation at state level, told BBC Pidgin last week that herdsmen had responded to an attack by "thieves" who had stolen 1,000 cows.

Around 20 people were killed after Fulani herdsmen attacked communities in Guma and Logo area.

However, Othman Ngelzarma, a top official of Miyetti Allah, has condemned the killings in an interview with Channels Television, external.

He said the attackers are “killers not herdsmen”.

Tensions between Fulani herdsmen and farmers have heightened since Benue state passed an anti-grazing law leaving the herdsmen with nowhere to graze their cows.

Hundreds of people took to the streets on 3 January to protest the attacks, others continue to express their anger at the government's slow response to the conflict.

Jose Tembe
BBC Africa, Maputo

A group of suspected Islamist militants have been arrested in northern Mozambique.

Police believe the 24 men - all Mozambican nationals - are part of a group which has been terrorising the northern district of Mocimboa da Praia, close to the border with Tanzania.

It is not known why the group has started operating in the area: there is some suggestion it may be linked to its proximty to areas where American and Italian companies are prospecting for gas and oil.

Local police spokesman Augusto Guta said he believed the men might be reinforcements for the group.

However, they deny any involvement.

Mr Guta said:

The BBC's Rana Jawad has been speaking to Mahmoud Althawadia, a political analyst, about the ongoing anti-austerity protests in Tunisia.

Opposition parties have called for more protests, while the government has been trying to assuage the anger of Tunisians over the 2018 budget, which includes price and tax increases.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed has acknowledged the country was experiencing economic challenges, but promised 2018 will be the "last difficult year".

Mr Althawadia, however, says the situation is "complicated":

He adds:

A journalist shared this video of people marching in the streets:

Aboubakar Famau
BBC Africa, Arusha

Tanzania's opposition leader Edward Lowassa has today met with his political nemesis, President John Magufuli, at state house.

Pictures of the two leaders' surprise meeting have been shared on social media, including this one tweeted by The East African publication:

Mr Lowassa turned into a chief critic of President Magufuli after he lost to him in the 2015 election.

He has accused Mr Magufuli, whose administration has cracked down on people deemed critical of his government, as having elements of dictatorship.

Tanzanians are therefore surprised, not just by the first official meeting between the two leaders, but also by Mr Lowassa's remarks praising the president.

He said the president was doing "great work":

The meeting coincides with the ongoing defection of MPs from the main opposition party Chadema to the ruling party CCM.

Speculation is also rife that a high profile Chadema politician would soon be joining them.

The exodus has forced the party to issue a directive demanding its MPs declare publicly where their loyalty lies.

Mr Lowassa was once a CCM member but left to join Chadema as its candidate in the 2015 election after the party settled on Mr Magufuli as its flag bearer.

Image source, Getty Images

Cape Town's "Day Zero" - when the South African city's taps will run dry - has been moved forward, as half the population fails to keep to their daily ration.

Mayor Patricia de Lille revealed "Day Zero" was now likely to be 22 April at a press conference on Tuesday, Times Live reports.

It had been 29 April.

She hit out at people who were failing to keep to the 87 litre limit imposed in order to keep the city's water usage below 500m litres a week.

Cape Town is now in its third year of drought, with its dams less than a third full.

Image source, AFP

Algeria has put a temporary ban on the import of mobile phones and another 900 products, according to news agency Reuters.

The move also applies to all vegetables - apart from garlic - as well as a number of other foods, including chocolate, some furniture and bottled waters.

It is hoped the ban, which came into force on Sunday, will decrease the country's import bill as it struggles to cope with falling crude oil prices.

Oil, along with gas, accounts for around 95% of Algeria's exports.

According to the document drawn up by the trade ministry and seen by Reuters, the ban "is limited in time, and will be lifted gradually with or without maintaining or increasing taxes and other duties".

Image source, AFP

South Africa's kings, queens and traditional leaders are to get a pay rise - but not everyone's happy about it.

The country's monarchs, including the Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, who has complained about his income previously, will see an increase from 1.12m rand to 1.17m rand ($91,000 - $95,000; £67,000 - £70,400).

Traditional leaders, down to headmen and headwomen, will also get a boost after 2017's pay freeze.

It hasn't gone down well with everyone on social media:

However, change is on the horizon: South Africa's Business Tech, external reports that of the 13 existing monarchies, just seven will remain after the current leader dies.

Image source, Getty Images

Nigerian footballer Alex Iwobi will be fined by his club Arsenal if it is confirmed he was at a party 36 hours before Sunday's FA Cup loss at Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said is it "impossible" and "unacceptable" to go out within 48 hours of a game.

A video appearing to show the 21-year-old at the party in the early hours of Saturday morning was released on Snapchat.

It shows the Nigerian dancing at a party at a house in central London at 02:37 GMT, and was published in The Sun newspaper., external

Iwobi played the full match as holders Arsenal lost the third-round tie.

Read full story on the BBC Sport website.

Mary Harper
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says 30,000 people have been displaced by recent fighting in the north-west of the Central African Republic (CAR).

Civilians fleeing to the town of Paoua speak of men on horseback shooting at anything that moves.

MSF says it has had to suspend work in seven health centres in the area, and that three have already been looted.

It has expressed concern that only 13 injured people have made it to the hospital in Paoua.

Until now, the region has been relatively untouched by the violence that has affected many other parts of the CAR since 2012.

The brother of a US tourist who went missing in Namibia three weeks ago says everyone is "baffled" by his disappearance as the search for him is scaled back.

Speaking to The Namibian newspaper, external, Roy Mokosso revealed the family were still keeping all options open following his brother Mark's disappearance.

However, hopes are fading he will be found alive.

The 37-year-old, a former sergeant with the US Army, was last seen on 15 December, when he stopped to speak to some stone sellers and asked about climbing Brandberg Mountain, Namibia's tallest peak which sits north-west of the capital Windhoek.

His car was later found abandoned near Klein Brandberg, with his local cellphone, money and maps inside.

His tracks have since been discovered - but no sign of Mark.

Roy, who spent more than 20 years in the Marines, said:

Roy said he believed his brother had probably got lost, and thought it was possible his brother had fallen or been taken advantage of.

He hoped a reward of N$50,000 ($4,000; £3,000) - rising to N$150,000 if he is alive - will prompt someone to come forward.

Police told the newspaper they were still searching for Mark, keeping all options open.

The leader of Tunisia's main opposition party has called for more protests until the government drops what is says is an "unjust" budget, news agency Reuters reports.

The 2018 budget includes price and tax increases effective from 1 January.

Popular Front leader Hamma Hammami told reporters that opposition parties were meeting to coordinate the protests.

As we reported earlier, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed acknowledged the country was experiencing difficulties, but said 2018 will be the "last difficult year".

Anti-austerity protests were held yesterday.

Our colleagues at BBC Weather have put together a short video explaining a weather phenomena which has seen snow cover large swathes of the Sahara desert.

Temperatures in this part of Africa are known to soar well above 35C (95F), so why has the snow settled?

Find out below:

Image source, Reuters

Tunisia's prime minister has promised 2018 will be the last difficult year, as anti-austerity protests sweep the country.

Youssef Chahed took to the radio to reassure citizens on Tuesday, following a number of demonstrations against tax increases and price rises.

Mr Chahed said:

Tunisia's economy has been struggling since 2011, when former ruler Zine El Abdine Ben Ali was ousted from power.

Two deadly terror attacks in 2015 targeting its vital tourism industry made it more difficult to recover.

But these latest protests were triggered by inflation and increased taxes on imports like cars.

Anne Soy
BBC Africa, Nairobi

Image source, Getty Images

Sudanese authorities have warned they will use force to suppress protests against the increase in the prices of bread.

At least one person has been killed and schools ordered closed since demonstrations started four days ago.

Bakeries in Sudan doubled the price of bread on Friday, sparking off protests in the capital Khartoum and several other regions.

In response, the government is reported to have launched a campaign of arrests alongside a media crackdown.

Classes were suspended in the Western Darfur State after a student was killed and others wounded during demonstrations.

Interior Minister, Babikir Digna, said the police would use force against protesters who destroyed property.

But he denied that the demonstrations were linked to the cost of bread.

Bread prices doubled from 7 US cents to 14 after the government raised the price of flour by nearly 300%.

The opposition urged people to go to the streets to protests what they described as an unprecedented rise in the cost of living.

Several opposition politicians are reported to have been arrested.