France has become the latest country to advise its citizens to leave Ethiopia as Tigrayan rebels say they are advancing closer to the capital Addis Ababa, AFP news agency reports.

"All French nationals are formally urged to leave the country without delay," the French embassy in Addis Ababa said in an email sent to French citizens, the agency reports.

The US and UK are among countries that have issued similar advisories in recent weeks while also withdrawing non-essential staff.

A French embassy official said there could be some "voluntary" departures of embassy staff, particularly those with families, AFP reports.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

The authorities in Burkina Faso say nine members of the military and at least 10 civilians have been killed in an attack in the northern city of Foubé.

Last week around 50 soldiers died during another raid in the north.

Anger is growing in Burkina Faso over the extremist violence that's killed thousands and displaced more than a million people since 2017.

There have been protests and calls for President Roch Kaboré to resign.

On Monday the government confirmed it had cut mobile phone internet access in the country due to the insecurity.

Nduka Orjinmo
BBC News, Abuja

Tributes are being paid to Baba Suwe, one of Nigeria's most famous comic actors who died on Monday at the age of 63 after a short illness.

He was known for his comedy roles in Nollywood, as the country's film industry is known, in the 1990s and early 2000s - mostly appearing as a garrulous security guard or risible house servant.

The actor, whose real name was Babatunde Omidinaalso, also played many roles in Yoruba movies.

Fellow actor and comedian Debo Adedayo, known by the stage name Mr Macaroni, described him as a “legend”:

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar thanked Baba Suwe for the “happiness and joy” he brought into homes:

Funeral rites for the late actor will begin on Thursday at his home in Lagos - the date for his burial has not yet been announced.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Gambians are mourning the death one of the country’s best-known journalists.

For more than 20 years, Pa Nderry Mbai played a key role exposing human rights abuses and other injustices during former President Yahya Jammeh's time in office.

Because Pa Nderry Mbai helped expose the frequent killings, disappearances and torture in The Gambia, Mr Jammeh put the journalist high on his long list of enemies.

Two decades ago when newspaper offices were being set ablaze and reporters locked up, Pa Nderry Mbai moved to the United States and launched his online Freedom newspaper.

Mr Jammeh made it a crime for anyone to read it.

The website was hacked into and smear campaigns were carried out in an effort to silence him.

Because Mr Mbai did so much to expose atrocities taking place in The Gambia, people referred to him as the voice of the country's first truth commission.

Here are some of the tributes being paid to him on social media:

Ex-Chelsea and Argentina keeper Willy Caballero hails his Senegalese former team-mate Edouard Mendy as the best in the world.

South Africa's firebrand opposition politician Julius Malema has confirmed that his party backed the newly elected Johannesburg mayor.

Mr Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supported the Democratic Alliance's (DA) Mpho Phalatse.

He tweeted confirmation of this when asked online:

Ms Phalatse won against the African National Congress' (ANC) Mpho Moerane.

This is yet another blow to the ruling ANC after the heavy losses it suffered during the local government elections.

Image source, Getty Images

Nigeria's Minister of Information Lai Mohammed has dismissed as fake the leaked report of an inquiry which found that the armed forces had carried out a massacre at a protest against police brutality in the main city of Lagos last year.

Lai Mohammed told journalists in the capital, Abuja, that the allegations were “tales by moonlight”.

"Never in the history of any judicial panel in this country has its report been riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendos, omissions and conclusions that are not supported by evidence," he said.

The report into what happened at the Lekki toll gate was leaked last week and is yet to be made public.

The leaked report said that the armed forces intentionally shot anti-police brutality demonstrators at the Lekki toll gate in October 2020, and then tried to cover it up.

It called the killing of 11 people a "massacre".

Mr Mohammed denied there was a massacre and said it was shocking that allegations made by Nigerians to the panel were merely compiled into the report without investigations.

"That report is nothing but the triumph of fake news and the intimidation of a silent majority by a vociferous lynch mob," he said.

Tens of thousands of Nigerians took to the streets in October last year calling for the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) police unit to be disbanded.

The #EndSars protests rocked the country for two weeks. The police unit had been accused of robbing, attacking and even killing people.

More on #EndSars:

• What next after the protests that shook Nigeria

A South African rights commission has raised concerns over social media messages linking foreign nationals to the deaths of five children after allegedly eating noodles.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) noted that some messages were claiming that foreign nationals may have tampered with the popular children’s food item - urging the public not to spread fake news regarding the incidents.

It said that health and police authorities were still investigating the issue and there was “no evidence to suggest any possible tampering or any link with foreign-owned businesses”.

It said suggestions that “the tragic deaths …are the result of revenge by foreign nationals are irresponsible and have no basis in fact”.

Two siblings are reported to have recently died in Limpopo province after eating noodles, while three other children died in Eastern Cape.

SAHRC says the health authorities have considered recalling “the products concerned should the evidence indicate that this is required”.

Andrew Harding
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, Getty Images

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he was setting off, in person, to march on the battlefield, and to lead the defence of his country.

His startling announcement came as rebel forces claimed they were advancing on at least four fronts, towards the capital, Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopian government has denied that the rebels – led by forces from the war and famine-ravaged northern region of Tigray - are making progress.

But the tone of the prime minister’s speech - lashing out at unnamed local and foreign enemies - carried both an air of defiance and, to some, of desperation.

A state of emergency has already been declared. And there are reports that the rebels are close to disrupting the main supply route into the capital.

Just two years ago, Mr Abiy won a Nobel Prize for his leadership of a rising African giant. Today, he’s asking his countrymen to stand up and fight for the nation’s very existence.

Dorcas Wangira
Africa health correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Adolescent children in Kenya and Rwanda are now eligible to receive Pfizer Covid jabs as both countries kick off vaccine campaigns.

Rwanda will be vaccinating children from the age of 12 and above from Tuesday while Kenya is allowing those those from 15 years.

Rwanda has the highest fully vaccinated population in East Africa with over 20% of the total population. The rest of the region including Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have vaccinated less than 10% of their total population.

Rwanda's adolescent vaccination programme will cover the entire country and parents or guardians have to sign consent forms before their children can be vaccinated.

The state will work with schools for distribution and collection of consent forms.

In Kenya, the health ministry expects to receive four million doses of Pfizer vaccines for its campaign to vaccinate adolescents.

Image source, BCC

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved Pfizer vaccine as suitable for use by people aged 12 years and above. The US Food and Drug Administration has recommended the same vaccine for younger children aged from five years.

However doses are given based on country recommendations.

South Africa was the first African country to vaccinate children with Zimbabwe following suit.

Image source, AFP

The health authorities in Kenya have urged people to use other alternatives as the country is experiencing a shortage of condoms.

Restaurants, hospitals and other public facilities have not had free condoms in their toilets for people to take.

A government agency, the National Aids and STIs Control Programme (Nascop) has expressed concern over the shortage.

The shortage has been attributed to high taxes imposed on condoms even though they are usually donor funded.

Earlier this year, a tax dispute between the government and donors who import anti-HIV drugs led to a shortage of the commodity.

Kenya needs 455 million condoms annually while the government only provides 1.6 million per month.

Kenya is one of the countries round the world taking a harder line now on people who are not vaccinated. If you're not vaccinated by 21st December you'll be barred from bars, restaurants and public transport. That's the latest announcement by the Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe and adds Kenya to the list of countries which are introducing a more forceful approach to the pandemic.

Nigeria has set 1st December for all government employees to get the jab. Austria has set 1st February as the date when all citizens will have to be vaccinated. Italy, France and the UK have all said health workers must get vaccinated. So is it good public health policy for the Kenyan government too?

“It’s about time,” Kenyan Senator Sylvia Kasanga told Newsday. “We are going into the festive season (when) lots of Kenyans are moving up and down the country visiting their loved ones... and you can imagine what will happen if our citizens are not vaccinated. Secondly, …next year is our general election."

"Already we are cognisant a lot of our citizens in the counties are still having a lot of apathy towards the vaccines and the uptake is very low and therefore the government needs… to force Kenyans to do this otherwise we will not be ready for next year's public engagements which are so numerous during the political season."

(Pic: A Kenyan healthcare worker being vaccinated against Covid-19 in Nairobi; Credit: EPA)

Image source, Reuters

Covid cases in South Africa are on the rise ahead of a predicted fourth wave.

The country has recorded 1,886 new virus cases since Saturday and 22 deaths from coronavirus.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla has urged more people to get vaccinated.

"We knew it was a matter of time before the fourth wave comes," he said during an interview with ENCA television.

Mr Phaahla says the uptake of vaccines has gone down in recent days.

The government says it has no plans to enforce a hard lockdown during the wave.

There is optimism that it will be less devastating than the other waves but the government is cautious in case of any new variants.

The fourth wave was predicted to start next month through January.

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

The United States says it's encouraged by Sunday's deal reinstating the Sudanese prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok - but wants more progress before restoring aid.

The State Department repeated calls for all civilian leaders detained after last month's coup to be released.

Sudan's governing generals have already released some of them, including the head of Sudan's Congress Party, Omar al-Degeir, and some politicians from Sudan's biggest party, Umma.

Members of the deposed transitional government have strongly criticised Sunday's deal, calling it a betrayal.

Critics doubt the military will allow Mr Hamdok and his cabinet of technocrats to hold genuine power.

Image source, EPA

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says he will now lead his troops “from the battle front” as the year-long conflict moves closer to the capital, Addis Ababa.

"Starting tomorrow, I will mobilise to the front to lead the defence forces," Mr Abiy, said in a statement posted on Twitter late on Monday., external

"Those who want to be among the Ethiopian children, who will be hailed by history, rise up for your country today. Let's meet at the front," he added.

It came after the ruling Prosperity Party's executive committee met on Monday to discuss the war. The defence minister told local media after the meeting that security forces would be embarking on a “different action” over the conflict.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has dismissed Mr Abiy’s statement. Its spokesman, Getachew Reda, said, external that “our forces won’t relent on their inexorable advance towards bringing [Abiy’s] chokehold on our people to an end”.

Since last November, the government and rebel forces have been engaged in a war that started in Tigray and spread into neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions.

The TPLF has formed an alliance with other insurgent groups including the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) as the conflict has drawn nearer to the capital.

Special envoys from the African Union and the US have been trying to broker a ceasefire in recent days but there has been little progress so far.

The conflict has killed thousands of people, forced millions from their homes and hundreds of thousands others are facing famine.

Our African proverb of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

South Africa's main electricity company Eskom plans to switch from using coal to renewable energy.

Critics say social media firms are not doing enough to curb online hate speech around Ethiopia's war.

The relationship between the royal family and the media – particularly the tabloids – is complex and at times turbulent. For Princes William and Harry, it's been shaped by childhood tragedy, with the death of their mother, Princess Diana. Amol Rajan – the BBC’s Media Editor – has for the past year been working on a documentary that sheds light on how the Princes have tried to manage their relationships with a media that is undergoing permanent revolution. He's been looking at how Prince William has tried to play the game, and Prince Harry has tried to change the rules of that game. And he hears from a private investigator - who for the first time - describes the the lengths he says he went to in his surveillance of Prince Harry and his former girlfriend, Chelsy Davy. His claims are yet to be tested in court and are strongly disputed.

This is 5 Minutes on – The Princes and the Press.

Image Credit: Tim Graham via Getty Image

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for now. We'll be back on Tuesday morning Nairobi time.

Until then there will be an automated service and you can find the latest updates on the BBC News website, or listen to our podcasts Africa Today and The Comb.

A reminder of our African proverb of the day:

And we leave you this photo of South African artist Zoe Modiga singing during the All Africa Music Awards in Lagos on Sunday.

Image source, Getty Images