Image source, AFP

A former militia leader from the Central African Republic (CAR) is to appear before judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Friday.

Alfred Yekatom, known as "Rambo", led a mostly Christian "anti-Balaka" militia which formed after mainly Muslim rebels seized power in the CAR in 2013 - and the country descended into religious violence.

He is facing 14 charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, mutilation and torture.

Mr Yekatom was elected as an MP in 2016, despite being subject to UN sanctions - he was added to the list three years ago for suspected attacks against Muslims and for using child soldiers.

He was arrested last month after he drew a gun in the CAR's parliament and fired shots in the air.

He is first person from the country to stand trial at the ICC and was extradited on Saturday.

• Read: The grenade survivor singing for peace

Image source, Science Photo Library

Pregnant students at South Africa’s University of Zululand in KwaZulu-Natal province are being expelled from their university accommodation, a state investigator has said.

Mlondozi Vava, from the government-backed Commission for Gender Equality, said the university’s Student Representative Council had reported the problem, saying it happened when students were visibly pregnant.

“When a student is pregnant while residing at the university residence, the university expels the students from the residence when they are approaching their last trimester of the pregnancy," he said.

Mr Vava was speaking at the commission’s hearing into gender policy at institutions of higher learning.

University of Zululand vice-chancellor, Xoliswa Mtose, said she was shocked about the findings, external.

"I would never tolerate that, it is possible that people are malicious and want to create trouble," South Africa’s Sowetan Live newspaper quoted her as saying.

But she said she would investigate the issue.

“If it’s true or there are people [who] have been discriminated against like that, we need to know and correct that,” she told South Africa’s TimesLive after the hearing, external.

• Read: South Africa grapples with dilemma of pregnant students

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Welcome back to BBC Africa Live where we'll be keeping you up to date with news and views from around the continent.

BBC Africa Live
Natasha Booty

That's all from BBC Africa Live for now. You can 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 Thursday's wise words:

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And we leave you with these photographs shot by Miora Rajaonary in Madagascar:

South Africa’s coloured community, the official term for mixed-race people in the country, were alienated during the country’s apartheid regime.

Many in the community now feel that the current democracy also marginalises them – that they “aren’t black enough”.

Violent protests recently rocked coloured communities across South Africa.

Fed up with gangs, drugs and unemployment, residents took their frustration to the streets.

The BBC’s Vauldi Carelse went to find out what’s at the heart of this anger.

Video journalist:Christian Parkinson

Thomas Naadi
BBC Africa, Accra

Image source, AFP

All four of Ghana's mobile network operators have been fined a total of $7m (£5.4m) for failing to meet benchmark service requirements.

Frequent call drops, calls taking a long time to go through and poor sound quality were among the reasons Ghana’s National Communications Authority punished Vodafone, MTN, Glo and Airtel/Tigo.

The biggest fine of $2.4m was handed to Airtel/Tigo, external, Joy Online reports.

Consumers have told the BBC they have faith that the sanctions will result in improved services.

Worst affected are residents of rural Ghana who even have to climb trees or walk several kilometres to find sufficient network reception to make and receive calls.

Image source, NFF Media

Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze has described his international debut for Nigeria as the completion of a "dream year".

The 19-year-old's skill and impressive left foot caught the eye after starting for the Super Eagles in Tuesday's 0-0 friendly draw against Uganda in Asaba.

Chukwueze is enjoying a breakthrough season, scoring in both the League and Spanish Cup despite only earning promotion to the first team from the reserves.

"Making my debut for Nigeria only completes a dream year in my professional life," he told BBC Sport.

"I've played and scored for Villarreal this year, and I never expected to get a chance to get into the Super Eagles team, but everything is happening like a dream.

A Fifa under-17 World Cup winner with Nigeria in 2015, he has been likened to his hero and Bayern Munich's former Netherlands international winger Arjen Robben.

• Read more here

Image source, AFP

A controversial proposal by a German minister that foreign powers acquire land in Africa to curb migration has been rejected by the African Union.

The European Union, or a body like the World Bank, should build and run cities in Africa in order to boost job creation and development on the continent, Germany's Minister for Africa, Gunter Nooke, told the BBC in an interview in which he outlined his thinking on how to stem migration to Europe.

This will mean African countries leasing their land to a foreign body to "allow free development for 50 years", Mr Nooke said.

It is a controversial idea, rejected by critics as reeking of colonialism. But others - like Carol Musyoka, an academic at Strathmore Business School, one of Kenya's top universities - are open to the concept.

In a BBC interview, Ms Musyoka described the proposal as "fascinating", and said she would support it if it was a genuine attempt to ensure that Africans - not foreign powers - benefited.

• Read the full report here

Shingai Nyoka
BBC Africa, Harare

Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube is presenting the first budget of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government.

The highlights of the $8.2bn (£6.3bn) budget include a 5% salary cut for all senior government workers including in state enterprises.

Mr Ncube has also announced plans to re-register civil servants in an audit aimed at purging "ghost" workers.

The government currently spends 90% of its budget on paying salaries squeezing out resources meant for infrastructure development.

The finance minister has also announced plans to tighten rules on the government’s local borrowing.

The presentation was marred by scuffles between security and opposition members.

Police dragged out opposition MPs for refusing to stand when President Mnangagwa entered the chamber.

A Chadian minister has been detained by police following reports that he had married an underage girl.

Azzai Mahamat Hassane's lawyer has denied that his client's wife is a minor.

French-language news broadcaster RFI quotes a state prosecutor as saying Mr Hassane married the girl in a "customary ceremony" in 2017 when he travelled to the western town of Nokou with a political delegation.

Marriage in Chad under the age of 18 is illegal, and people found to have married minors or offered underage children for marriage face prison.

Image source, AFP

Image source, Reuters

Some 650,000 public sector workers in Tunisia are striking over low pay and thousands have joined street protests across the country, the Reuters news agency reports.

The government has refused to increase wages and is under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce its deficit, Reuters adds.

It is the biggest strike in five years - schools, universities and local government offices have shut their doors, while hospitals are providing only emergency staffing.

Tunisia's economy has struggled since Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who led Tunisia for 23 years, was toppled amid an unprecedented wave of protests in 2011 that was sparked by anger at high unemployment and poverty.

Shingai Nyoka
BBC Africa, Harare

Scuffles have broken out in Zimbabwe's parliament ahead of the presentation of the first budget by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government.

Police have thrown out opposition members who reportedly refused to stand when the president entered chamber.

Some politicians have been dragged out, while others have walked out as the president and his deputies looked on.

Image source, ZBC

Killian Ngala Chimtom
BBC Africa, Yaoundé

A Kenyan priest stationed at a parish in Cameroon's troubled South-West region has been killed.

He was caught in cross-fire between government forces and separatists, according to a local official.

"Some villagers say he was shot by the gendarmes. Others say he was shot by separatists. We are still investigating," said Eyumojock's Divisional Officer, Moloka Egbe.

He added that the separatists had climbed up trees in order to shoot at the security forces who were fighting from their armoured cars.

"It was within the context of the fighting that the priest was shot, right in front of his office."

A soldier was shot in the eye during the exchange of gunfire and is now receiving treatment in hospital.

"It’s difficult to know whether the separatists incurred any casualties since they strike and run back into the forests," Mr Egbe said.

The recent killing comes just 11 days after the burial of an American missionary, Charles Trumman Wesco, who was killed in nearby Bamenda.

In October, a 19-year-old seminarian was killed in Kumbo, North-West region, while a group of religious sisters were kidnapped in the same region by suspected separatists earlier in the month.

Nick Cavell
BBC Africa Sport, Ghana

It's a rest day here at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, which gives us all a chance to reflect on a deluge of goals scored in Wednesday's Group B matches.

First, reigning champions Nigeria put four past Zambia thanks to goals from firstly from Desire Oparanozie and then three wonderful finishes from Francisca Ordega, Rasheedat Ajibade and Amarachi Okoronkwo.

South Africa then thrashed former winners Equatorial Guinea 7-1.

Banyana Banyana's first goal came after 19 minutes with Linda Motlhalo scoring from the penalty spot. Moments later Mpumi Nyandeni added a second.

Equatorial Guinea pulled one back against the run of play just before half-time through Elena Nkuandum.

After the break, first to strike was Refiloe Jane before two from Christine Thembi Kgatlana in as many minutes. Amanda Mthandi made it six with the rout completed by Jermaine Seoposenwe.

The results mean that all four teams can still progress or be eliminated after Saturday's final games. South Africa will face Zambia in Accra and Nigeria play Equatorial Guinea in Cape Coast.

Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Xolobeni

The North Gauteng High Court in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, has ruled in favour of the Xolobeni community - finding that they have a constitutionally protected right to refuse to allow mining on their traditional land.

It’s a big victory for the people of Xolobeni and other communities who live on such land. This community has been engaged in a long and at times deadly fight for more than a decade to block the mining of titanium in a sea-side region of Eastern Cape province.

Australian firm Transworld Energy and Minerals (TEM) had been trying to obtain a licence to mine from the Department from Mineral Resource (DMR), but faced unrelenting opposition.

South Africa’s customary law dictates that a mining licence cannot be issued without the permission of the owners of community land.

They petitioned the courts to help them enforce the customary law, claiming they were being bullied into accepting the proposed mining.

Through the Amadiba Crisis Committee, which is supported by the local traditional council, the group's representatives argued that mining would bring disastrous consequences to the region. The North Gauteng High Court agreed.

In her ruling, Judge Annali Basson said their fears were not without merit. Her judgement highlighted how mining communities often suffered from airborne diseases, were subjected the loss of grazing land and displaced.

It is not clear if the mining firms will appeal the ruling. The DMR has said it will study the judgment. But local leaders are expected to hold celebrations once news of their victory spreads across the areas' far-flung villages.

Malian Fatoumata Diawara who is now a successful singer and songwriter was herself once a migrant.

Now she's using her latest album, Fenfo, to appeal for respect for all immigrants - arguing that they bring benefits to the communities they join. And she says that if people are given the freedom to travel, they often opt to go back home in the end.

Listen to her interview with our colleagues at BBC Newsday:

A 17-year-old boy is due in court in South Africa today accused of stabbing a primary school pupil.

The older boy is alleged to have hid in the school toilets overnight before attacking the younger boy. The alleged attacker is thought to have been in a relationship with the victim's older sister, according to a statement from the education department.

"It appears the suspect knew the deceased, and it is alleged that he was in a romantic relationship with the Grade 1 pupil’s older sister.

"It is believed the couple may have had a fall out and the alleged perpetrator targeted the younger brother. However, police will conduct a full investigation around the circumstance of this horrific murder," the department said.

In South Africa, Grade 1 is for six and seven-year-old students.

Police spokesperson Tumelo Menyatso, says the victim died on Wednesday on his way to a local clinic from the school in Makapanstad.

The suspect is expected to appear at Moretele Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on a murder charge, local media report.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC Africa

Image source, Ethiopia PM's office

A former exile, judge and leading opposition figure has been chosen by parliament to head Ethiopia’s electoral board - marking another significant appointment of a woman to a key public office.

Birtukan Mideska only returned to Ethiopia earlier this month after seven years in exile in the United States.

Ms Birtukan was sentenced to life imprisonment after the disputed 2005 elections.

Now the former judge will oversee the country’s elections in May 2020.

She faces a key challenge in restoring faith in an electoral board that has long faced accusations of being manipulated by the state.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has instituted wide-ranging reforms including making peace with neighbouring Eritrea, freeing political prisoners and welcoming back armed opposition groups that were once in exile.

He has appointed women to half the ministerial posts in his cabinet and last month parliament elected the country's first female president - Sahle-Work Zewde.

Read the BBC News story for more.

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