Sebastian Usher
BBC Arab Affairs Editor

One of Egypt's most celebrated actresses Soheir El-Bably has died at the age of 86.

Her career spanned more than 50 years - in the cinema, on stage and on television.

She played dramatic roles, but was perhaps best known and best loved for her skill in comedy.

Actors, directors and the many fans of El-Bably across the Arab world have been paying tribute to her as the queen of comedy and diva of the Egyptian stage.

For some, El-Bably's name evokes nostalgia for what's known as the golden age of Egyptian cinema in the 1950s and 60s - she worked with some of the most revered directors and acted with other legendary stars.

Later, she had great success on television - playing leading roles in some of the most popular series that are a staple of family life every Ramadan.

A tweeter shared photos of the actress:

It is on stage that many feel El-Bably made her greatest contribution - where her style matched the sly knockabout humour of the Egyptian theatre.

The dominance of Egyptian entertainment in the Arab world made her a household name across the region, with many now mourning her loss as if she were a member of their own family.

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

France asked the president of Burkina Faso to intervene after a French military convoy was held up for nearly three days by protesters in the city of Kaya.

The foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said those he called "manipulators" had been stoking anti-French sentiment.

There are unconfirmed reports that French soldiers fired warning shots at the demonstrators, who are opposed to the French force fighting Islamist militants in the Sahel.

The vehicles eventually moved dozens of kilometres south from Kaya and made their way via a different route to neighbouring Niger.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said he is "encouraged" by the deal to reverse the military takeover in Sudan.

It comes after the reinstatement of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday, following last month's coup when he was put under house arrest.

Mr Blinken has called on the authorities not to use excessive force against peaceful protesters.

He tweeted that the authorities should now conclude the return to a civilian-led transition:

Mr Blinken had called for the reinstatement of Mr Hamdok during his first Africa tour last week.

Read:

• Sudan's military reinstates ousted civilian PM

Dorcas Wangira
Africa health correspondent

Image source, AFP

Kenyans who haven't been vaccinated against Covid will not be able to receive government services from next month, the government says.

Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said unvaccinated people would be banned from public transport, local airlines and train services.

Kenyans will also require proof of vaccination in order to visit government institutions for education, immigration, tax and other services.

The directive will come into force on 21 December.

Beginning on Tuesday, young people over the age of 15 will be able to get a Pfizer jab.

Kenya has a target of vaccinating 10 million people by the end of December.

The government says it's concerned about the slow uptake of vaccines especially outside the capital, Nairobi.

It says that its concerned that only 18% of the elderly people have taken the jabs. So far less than 10% of the total population has been vaccinated.

Kenya has administered about 6.4m jabs out of the 10.7 million Covid-19 vaccine doses received to date, according to the health ministry.

Our African proverb of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

Five months after the death of the prominent Nigerian televangelist, services have resumed.

Abdalla Hamdok's release from house arrest fails to stop protests against the army's political role.

Mary Harper
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

Hundreds of inmates have fled a prison in Matadi, a port city in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Two armed men arrived at the jail, subdued the guards and then broke open the main gate, local media reported.

Security officials said about 300 inmates rushed towards the police, who were firing into the air, grabbing their weapons and killing an officer.

The deputy director of the jail said the facility had 737 inmates, even though it only had a capacity for 150.

People take to the streets after the country's ousted PM is reinstated, following October's coup.

The artwork featuring four different women has been unveiled at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

As rebel forces advance towards the capital, at least 1,000 ethnic Tigrayans have been detained.

Abdiaziz Mohamud Guled, a critic of the Islamist militant group al-Shabab, is killed in a suicide attack.

South Western Districts' Sean Whitehead takes all 10 wickets in an innings of a South African first-class match as his side beat Eastern Storm by 120 runs.

Davido says money given to him by fans following a social media appeal will be sent to orphanages.

Journalist Mohanad Hashim returned from exile after the revolution but a coup leaves his hopes in tatters.

South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns beat Hasaacas Ladies of Ghana 2-0 to make history and become the first ever winners of the Women's African Champions League.

Family and friends of former DR Congo President Joseph Kabila are named by Africa's biggest data leak.

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for now. We'll be back on Monday 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:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this image of a surfer in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, taken from our selection of some of the best images of the week:

Image source, AFP

The Ethiopian authorities have asked people who have equipment that could have a military application to register their ownership.

The country's Information Network Security Agency made the announcement on Facebook saying that "it is known that... Ethiopia is in a campaign for survival".

It was referring to the year-long civil war with Tigrayan forces.

Among the items that should be registered are:

• Binoculars
• GPS devices
• Satellite phones and internet equipment
• Drones

People have 15 days to let the agency know.

The US secretary of state says Africa is central to dealing with climate change, Covid-19, democracy and human rights around the world.