A BBC journalist is tweeting from the scene in the capital, Nairobi, after an explosion was heard near a hotel in the Westlands area.

A BBC reporter at the scene confirms that there has been shooting as well as blasts in Nairobi's affluent Westlands neighbourood.

Kenyan special forces have arrived, our reporter adds.

These photos show the blaze up-close and from afar:

Explosions have been heard in the Westlands neighborhood of Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

Burning vehicles are visible at the site:

It is not yet clear what has caused the explosions.

Image source, Reuters

Former Ivory Coast First Lady Simone Gbagbo has told the BBC that her husband's acquittal is "a joy".

"It's the decision I've been waiting for since the beginning.

"From the beginning I was convinced that President Laurent Gbagbo was not guilty of everything he was accused of," she told the BBC's Valerie Bony in Abidjan.

Mrs Gbagbo said she did not know what the next step would be for her husband once he is released by the ICC, adding "all I know is that I am waiting for him here as soon as possible".

The former first lady had been convicted by a court in Ivory Coast for crimes related to the violence that followed the 2010 elections, but she was released last year in what was described as an effort towards reconciliation.

Mrs Gbagbo said that today's ruling showed justice had been done, and suggested that her time in prison must have been easier because unlike her husband she had the comforts of Ivorian food:

Supporters of Ivory Coast's former President Laurent Gbagbo are celebrating the news of his acquittal on the streets of the main city, Abidjan:

Image source, AFP

Image source, AFP

Image source, AFP

Moments before, these were the scenes among members of Mr Gbagbo's FPI party as they waited for, then celebrated the ICC's ruling:

Speaking to reporters after the ICC's ruling, FPI secretary-general Assoua Adou said it was a moment of "joy":

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC Africa, Addis Ababa

A severe fuel shortage has hit Addis Ababa and neighbouring towns.

Many petrol stations have run out of fuel and motorists have been forced to queue for long hours at any that have supplies today.

The shortage is blamed on the closure by protesters of the main road linking Ethiopia and Djibouti. Ethiopia imports most of its goods via the port in Djibouti.

The government is yet to comment on the fuel shortage or the blockade of the road.

While fuel shortages have become an almost monthly occurrence in the capital, the queues around the Addis Ababa today are unusually long.

In one area, cars parked stretching to nearly 1km (0.6 miles) as drivers waited for their turn to fuel.

One of the drivers at the back of the line told the BBC that he had been to six other petrol stations without success, adding:

Police have been controlling traffic around petrol stations. At one, they had to control a rowdy group of motorbike riders who were jostling to jump the queues.

According to French journalist Florence Richard, T-shirts plastered with former President Laurent Gbagbo's face have been laid out on chairs at the home of his wife Simone Gbagbo.

The garments are captioned "the president's return" in the photo:

Ms Richard has also also shared this video that she says shows crowds gathering at the home in the commercial capital, Abidjan:

Mrs Gbagbo was released from jail in 2018, when the Ivory Coast's current President Alassane Ouattara granted her amnesty to "foster reconciliation".

The former first lady had been sentenced to 20 years in prison in Ivory Coast for her role in the violence that followed the disputed 2010 elections in which more than 3,000 people died.

The BBC's Anna Holligan says the ICC's acquittal of former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo "goes beyond most legal experts' predictions".

She says the ruling represents a "terrible day for the prosecution":

Read more from Anna: Laurent Gbagbo case: Ivory Coast leader's acquittal rattles ICC foundations

Loud cheers erupted from the gallery at the International Criminal Court (ICC) as judges ordered the "immediate release" of Ivory Coast's former President Laurent Gbagbo, and his co-defendant Charles Blé Goudé.

Both men had been charged with crimes against humanity by the ICC in connection with violence following a disputed election in 2010.

The judge delivering the decision told the court: "The prosecutor has failed to satisfy the burden of proof to the requisite standard."

The decision was broadcast live on Facebook. You can hear the cheering 19 mins 35 secs into the broadcast:

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague have ruled that Ivory Coast ex-President Laurent Gbagbo has no case to answer.

He had been charged with crimes against humanity in connection with violence following a disputed election in 2010.

He was captured in 2011 in a presidential palace bunker by UN and French-backed forces supporting his rival, Alassane Ouattara.

Mr Gbagbo was the first former head of state to go on trial at the ICC.

Andrew Harding
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, AFP

Zimbabweans knew things were going to get tough.

Their own government had told them as much, warning that the failures of the Mugabe era meant the economy was in crisis, the state was broke, and tough reforms would now be required.

But in the space of a few chaotic months, Zimbabwe’s new leaders seem to have squandered any public trust or goodwill.

The clumsy handling of a currency crisis has left most people struggling to afford basic goods.

Fuel shortages, the imposition of new taxes and a sudden extravagant fuel price hike, have cause more genuine hardship.

But it's something more intangible that seems to have pushed furious Zimbabweans onto the streets: the belief that those in power are not tightening their own belts – that, on the contrary, corruption factions in the governing Zanu-PF may even be profiting from the economic chaos.

The president and his ministers have not helped matters by chartering jets, and buying new cars, while urging the public to travel by bicycle to save money.

It's a sharp contrast to a decade ago, when a unity government dragged Zimbabwe out of a similar crisis and ministers took drastic pay cuts.

Today, the authorities are accusing the opposition and human rights groups of orchestrating the violence.

Public frustration is growing. And the new Zimbabwe that was supposed to emerge from the ashes of the Mugabe era, is beginning to look and sound very much like the old Zimbabwe.

Access to the internet and social media platforms has been restricted in Zimbabwe, according to the global internet access campaigner NetBlocks:

Ahead of the ICC's ruling on an acquittal request from Ivory Coast former President Laurent Gbagbo, a number of his supporters have turned up outside the court in The Hague.

The BBC's Anna Holligan has tweeted these photos and videos from the scene in the Netherlands:

BBC World Service

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) are due to deliver their ruling today on an aquittal request from the former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo.

Charged with crimes against humanity, he has been in custody for seven years.

His trial began in 2016.

The charges relate to post-election violence in Ivory Coast in which about 3,000 people are reported to have been killed by forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo when he refused to accept defeat by his rival Alassane Ouattara eight years ago.

Critics of the ICC have questioned its efficacy owing to its poor conviction record, and accusations of a regional bias against African nations.

You may also like:

• Profile: Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo
• Watch: Why is the International Criminal Court under attack?

Zimbabwe's opposition MDC say its party headquarters in the capital, Harare, have been torched.

Photos taken at the scene show security gates torn down, windows smashed, and burnt debris on the floor:

Image source, MDC

Image source, MDC

Image source, MDC

Image source, MDC

Image source, MDC

Zimbabwe's governing Zanu-PF party say they have also suffered damage to their properties.

The state-owned Herald newspaper reports, external that: "MDC-Alliance protesters burnt a Zanu-PF district office in Rimuka" in central Zimbabwe.

It also says "hooligans" torched three cars and broke windows at the home of Zanu-PF politician Eva Bitu.

It follows protests in Zimbabwe after the government more than doubled the price of fuel overnight.

Some reports indicate that five people have died and about 24 others injured, but there has been no official communication on the deaths from the authorities on the death toll, other than to confirm that there was a loss of life.

Tuesday's African proverb:

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

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

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 picture of Ethiopian priests standing at the entrance of a rock hewn church in Bete Aba Libanos, taken by Maheder Haileselassie.

Athuman Mtulya
BBC Africa, Dar es Salaam

Image source, Reuters

The High Court in Tanzania has snubbed a petition filed by a coalition of 10 opposition parties against a bill that they argue will make the country one step closer to a one-party state.

The court however rejected the opposition case on technicalities citing a law that forbids a draft bill to be challenged in court when it is being considered by the National Assembly.

The proposed draft law governs political parties' activities.

It proposes an expansion of the grounds on which authorities can suspend political parties and jail their members. It also gives a president-appointed official the power to de-register parties.

The bill, which was first tabled in November, is expected be debated when parliament resumes later this month.

The ruling party enjoys the majority in the National Assembly and the bill is expected to sail through.

Image source, Getty Images

Millions of children went back to school today in Guinea for their first classes in more than three months after teachers ended strike action, reports AFP news agency.

The teachers' union agreed a deal with the government four days ago over pay and work conditions, AFP adds.

The strike began at the start of October after the teachers union SLECG accused the government of reneging on the terms of a previous deal, guaranteeing a pay hike.

The wage deal with the government should guarantee teachers a 40% pay rise, says AFP.