Image source, Getty Images

Fans have been rallying behind Olympic champion Caster Semenya as she prepares to compete in Qatar's capital, Doha, after losing a controversial case against athletics' governing body IAAF.

The 28-year-old South African had appealed against regulations restricting testosterone levels in female runners that would require her to take medication to reduce her testosterone level if she is to continue competing at 800m.

Here are some of the tweets of her fans:

Semenya can appeal against the Court of Arbitration for Sport's ruling to the Swiss Tribunal Courts within the next 30 days.

Read the full BBC story here

A drawing by South Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela of the door of his prison cell on Robben Island has sold for $112,575 (£86,345) at an auction in New York - higher than its estimated value of between $60,000 and $90,000.

"The Cell Door, Robben Island" was completed by the late Mr Mandela in 2002 - 12 years after his release from prison for fighting the racist system of apartheid.

Sketched in purple, it shows the bars of a prison cell door and a key in the lock.

Image source, Nelson Mandela/Bonhams

Tanzania media mogul Reginald Mengi tweeted a love message to his wife Jacqueline Ntuyabaliwe to mark their fourth marriage anniversary, more than a month before he died.

Mr Mengi, who was born in a poor family from Kilimanjaro region in 1944, passed away on Wednesday night in Dubai at the age of 75.

In his tweet, Mr Mengi told his wife how their union had been "a very exciting journey full of love and happiness":

The message appeared to have touched his wife, a former Miss Tanzanian, who responded in a tweet:

Reginald Mengi is continuing to trend on Twitter, as condolence messages pour in for the media owner:

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

Officials in Ethiopia say women and children are amongst the victims of what are being described as "massacres" in the west of the country.

The violence in close to the Benishangul Gumuz-Amhara regional border was reportedly carried out by organised militias from Amhara and was in response to clashes last week that left more than 20 people dead.

The area remains dangerous, and no-one yet knows how many people have been killed.

A spokesman for Benishangul region, Gelata Hailu, told the BBC that two villages were virtually destroyed and 80 people were being treated at a hospital.

The fact that he used the word massacre to describe what took place on Monday and Tuesday gives an indication of how serious the situation is.

Last week the majority of the victims were Amhara and this time in retaliation the Gumuz were attacked.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is often praised for the rapid pace of reform taking place in Ethiopia. But his greatest challenge is to stop the spread of ethnic violence which is threatening the stability of the country.

Read: How did US and Ethiopia become so close?

A satellite image of Sudan's military headquarters in the capital, Khartoum, reveals that the designers of the complex appeared to take their job literally.

Take a look at this aerial shot of the compound, where thousands of protesters have been gathered for several weeks demanding a return to civilian rule following the military's ousting of long-time leader Omar al-Bashir.

Image source, Google

1. Navy building
2. Air Force building
3. Army building

From the air, it is clear to see that the navy is headquartered in a boat-like structure and the air force in what looks like a gigantic aeroplane.

The army building has been the subject of much discussion in the BBC office. In terms of military hardware, the three prongs could resemble the fin tail of a missile.

Yet according to an article in The Conversation, external, the land forces "occupy a section that’s built to resemble army tanks" - so it may be that the three wings of the building are meant to represent the barrels of three tank guns.

The architecture of the site adds to the symbolism of the sit-in movement, which began on 6 April. Within five days of the protesters occupying the space and calling for Mr Bashir to go, the military moved to depose the president.

But three weeks on negotiations about Sudan's future continue, with growing concerns amongst the demonstrators that the military is not prepared to hand over power.

Read: Sudan's bold challenge to authoritarianism

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

A member of Sudan's ruling military council has told BBC Newsday that the armed forces will not accept a civilian majority on an interim power- sharing council.

Lt-Gen Salah Abdelkhalek said that was a red line; he would perhaps go as far as equal representation, but no further.

Talks between the generals and the opposition Alliance For Freedom and Change about the make-up of an interim council remain deadlocked.

On Thursday, huge numbers again joined protests in the capital, Khartoum, calling for a civilian administration.

Lt-Gen Abdelkhalek also said he would be prepared to give an immediate amnesty to long-standing rebel leaders.

Listen to his interview with Newsday's James Copnall here:

Read: Is Sudan a new regional battleground?

Our African proverb of the day:

Click here to send your African proverbs.

Welcome back to BBC Africa Live for the latest news and trends from around the continent.

BBC Africa Live
Natasha Booty & Ashley Lime

That's all from BBC Africa Live for now, but you can 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 Thursday's wise words:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this video of Mary Chilima, the wife of Malawi's vice-president, hitting back at a rapper whose recent song "Mutipasa" asks politicians if they'll really deliver on their promises:

Nigerian singer-songwriter Tiwa Savage has signed a global recording deal with Universal Music Group that will see her music released in 60 countries.

OkayAfrica are calling it a "power move", external by one of the continents biggest stars.

"It's like a dream," Savage says in the record company's promotional video, external.

"I'm part of a huge engine and it's definitely an honour to have an artist like me from Nigeria doing Afrobeats music, which is still fairly new to the rest of the world, and it's exciting.

"It's important for my story to be told, my way," she adds.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

Thousands of Sudanese protesters are converging outside the military headquarters in their latest effort to persuade the generals who are running the country to hand over to a civilian administration.

A team of mediators is trying to overcome a stalemate in negotiations between the two sides.

The generals want seven of the 10 members on the transitional council to be from the military.

The opposition Alliance For Freedom and Change is proposing a 15-person council - the majority of whom should be civilians.

A BBC correspondent says there is a growing suspicion that the military is not prepared to hand over power.

A spokesman for the military, Shamseddin al-Kabbashi, has said the armed forces must remain in the sovereign council because of tensions facing the country.

The Ugandan pop star and opposition MP Bobi Wine has been freed on bail after two days in prison.

Magistrate Esther Nahirya, who gave her decision after the MP testified via video link, told him he would be returned to jail if he engaged in unlawful demonstrations while free.

Bobi Wine - whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi - was arrested on Monday for organising a protest against a tax on the use of social media.

During his hearing earlier today, the MP told Buganda Road Court he was being persecuted "under the guise of prosecution".

Correspondents say his popularity could make him President Museveni's biggest challenger in the 2021 elections.

Army and police in Benin's commercial capital, Cotonou, have been using force to clear hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the home of the former president, Thomas Boni Yayi.

Witnesses have told AFP news agency that three people were killed. Details are still coming in.

Supporters of Mr Yayi took to the streets on Wednesday after he called for the results of Sunday's parliamentary election to be annulled.

Later that night, members of Benin's security forces "went against orders" and used "lethal weapons" against opposition protesters, Benin's interior minister has told French-language broadcaster RFI, external.

But other government members have denied the use of live rounds, according to RFI.

Image source, AFP

Mr Yayi is one of a number of high-profile figures who have challenged the legitimacy of Sunday's parliamentary election, in which no opposition candidates were allowed to take part.

Initial results showed turnout was just 23% - a record low.

Image source, FAO/Luis Tato

Fish leather is being supplied to top fashion houses like Jimmy Choo, Dior and Ferragamo as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cow hide.

The tanning process takes between three and four weeks, according to Atlantic Leather.

Their operation runs off geothermal energy and uses equipment that enables every drop of water to be used between eight and nine times in the production process. The fish are sourced from sustainable stocks.

"The fish smell disappears in the early stages, then it smells like any other leather," says company spokeswoman Steinunn Gunnsteinsdóttir.

"Fish leather's actually nine times stronger than lamb or cow leather of similar thickness because the fibres in fish skin criss-cross rather than just up and down... it makes it much more durable leather for products that have to be really strong like shoes, belts and bags."

• Read the full story here

Image source, FAO/Luis Tato

Poly Muzalia
BBC Africa, Kinshasa

Armed rebels have attacked a village in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo killing six people, and there are fears that dozens of others were abducted.

A DR Congo military spokesman blamed Wednesday's attack in Ituri Province's Tshabi village on the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) - a rebel group that originated in Uganda.

Congolese soldiers are reported to have fought the rebels for more than an hour.

A spokesman said five of the attackers were killed and one soldier died.

A traditional chief in the area says 30 people from the village are still missing and are feared to have been kidnapped by the rebels, who also looted 100 cattle.

Image source, AFP

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

Kenya's High Court has ordered the anti-corruption campaigner, John Githongo, to pay a former government minister more than $250,000 (£192,000) in a defamation case linked to a corruption scandal.

Former Internal Security Minister Chris Murungaru went to court 13 years ago after Mr Githongo accused him of being part of the Anglo Leasing deal that saw the country lose tens of millions of dollars, partly through an inflated contract for a new passport system.

Mr Murungaru denied any involvement.

Mr Githongo says he will appeal against the verdict.

In a strongly worded statement, he said the plunder of resources in Kenya over the last six years had accelerated to unprecedented levels.

Police say gunmen have kidnapped a traditional ruler in Daura who is distantly related to Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari.

Musa Umar was seized on Wednesday evening from in front of his house by abductors who fired shots into the air, Katsina state Police Spokesman Gambo Isa told the BBC's Nasidi Adamu Yahya.

Local police say one officer who was injured in a confrontation with the kidnappers is receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Mr Umar is a distant relative by marriage of President Buhari, as well as being the father-in-law of one of his senior aides. Daura is the president's home town.

The BBC's Joshua Ajayi in Lagos says the kidnapping is an embarrassment to the president, as it shows that just about anyone can be abducted.

The president's office has not yet commented on the incident.

Kidnappings, often for ransom, are on the rise in north-western Nigeria.

On Tuesday, dozens of gunmen attacked two villages in the same state and killed 14 people.

The Nigerian government has repeatedly claimed it is tackling the problem by deploying troops to the region but that has yet to bring the violence to an end.

Rob Wilson
BBC Africa

Every day, Mponeng Mofokeng collects water for her household in the South African city of Mahikeng from a large tank in her yard.

The family periodically fills the tank through a private provider because services from the local government are lacking.

Her frustration is directed at the politicians who she says have failed her:

"These people aren’t hearing us. They are claiming we must vote and vote. We are voting but nothing is happening."

Last year, frustrations over poor service delivery such as this reached a tipping point in Mahikeng, and violent protests broke out which lasted for months.

BBC Focus on Africa radio returned to the city a year on to gauge the mood of the electorate as national elections approach on 8 May.

• You can listen to the first of two special reports in the Africa Today podcast.

Ugandan musician-turned-MP Bobi Wine has testified at his bail hearing via video link from the prison where he is currently being held, after being charged with "disobedience of statutory duty".

He had been arrested on Monday for organising a protest against a tax on the use of social media.

Bobi Wine - who real name is Robert Kyagulanyi - has told Buganda Road Court:

• Read: The pop star seeking 'people power'

Nick Cavell
BBC Africa Sport

Image source, .

English Premier League club Everton will travel to Kenya to take on local side Kariobangi Sharks on 7 July, in a 2019 pre-season friendly.

The game will be played at Nairobi's Kasarani Stadium.

Kariobangi Sharks FC earned the right to face Everton by winning January's SportPesa Cup in Tanzania, in January.

The game against the Kariobangi Sharks FC marks Everton's second visit to east Africa after they played Kenya's Gor Mahia in Tanzania in July 2017.

• Read more: May's African football news in brief