A former security guard is charged with conspiring to steal Michaela McAreavey's hotel room key card.

The security forces in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, have used tear-gas and stun grenades to disperse angry street vendors and kiosk-owners at the city's main transport link, Jackson Station.

They were protesting against the looting and destruction of their belongings overnight by security forces following municipal orders to remove them, local media reported.

No official statement has yet been issued, but on social media, people posted videos and photos of destroyed stalls.

Tensions began early on Wednesday morning when the traders arrived to find their kiosks damaged and goods looted or destroyed.

The removal of the stalls is part of an ongoing campaign by the authorities to remove so-called "negative features" and reorganise the city.

However, activists argue that the means by which the authorities carry out these orders, and the lack of alternative solutions offered to those affected, only exacerbate the problem at a time of economic difficulties.

With Sudan's crippling economic crisis biting, many see this as a sign of the mounting issues facing Sudan's military leaders, who seized power last October.

Nigeria could face sanctions from Fifa after crowd trouble marred the end of their 2022 World Cup play-off against Ghana.

Image source, AFP

Kenya’s police have been accused by Amnesty International of unlawfully killing 167 people last year, including some of those arrested for violating Covid-19 restrictions.

The rights group alleged the force was also responsible for the forcible disappearance of 33 people in 2021.

In its report looking at events in 2021, external, Amnesty accused the police of using "excessive and sometimes lethal force to break up protests” and said many of the alleged perpetrators were not facing justice.

"Only 28 prosecutions were initiated against suspected perpetrators of unlawful killings and enforced disappearance," the rights group said.

It highlighted several cases, including that of Alex Macharia Wanjiku, who was shot in Nairobi County when security services reportedly tried to disperse a protest against the Nairobi Metropolitan Services, which manages the city's transport, health and development.

"Investigations into the incident by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), an independent civilian body, were not concluded by the end of the year [2021]," the report said.

Kenya's police have not yet commented on Amnesty’s report.

The country’s president has previously apologised, external for alleged police "excesses" when enforcing Covid restrictions.

The East African nation's police force has often been accused of brutality, but it says its officers are highly trained.

Eight peacekeepers were on board, including six from Pakistan, one from Russian and one from Serbia.

Ishaq Khalid
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, AFP

The general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has called out fans for attacking players and storming the pitch in the capital, Abuja, after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday evening.

Mohammed Sanusi told the BBC he understood the passion of the Nigerian fans, but said the violence, which Super Eagles supporters reportedly directed towards their own players and officials, was unwise and uncalled for.

Nigeria drew with Ghana 1-1, meaning their arch-rivals have qualified to go to Qatar on the away goals rule.

Mr Sanusi also said he regretted the "shocking" death of a Zambian doctor, who was working as part of the medical staff on the night.

He said that Dr Joseph Kabungo was not on the pitch when violence erupted - and had been in his office where medics were called to help him after he "started gasping for breath".

There have been conflicting reports about how Dr Kabungo died, some saying he suffered a heart attack. The Zambian football community has been mourning the medic's death.

Mr Sanusi also apologised for Nigeria's failure to qualify: "It was very unfortunate and we are sad - we are not happy with what has happened."

The full extent of the damage caused by the Super Eagles fans on Tuesday night is still unclear, but stands in the technical areas and side-line banners were destroyed.

Image source, AFP

Videos shared on social media showed some supporters hurling objects at players and officials.

Police are reported to have fired teargas and used batons to disperse the crowd.

Sports commentators say the post-match incident is likely attract the attention of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and the world football governing body Fifa.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC News

Image source, UNHCR/Mohame Alalem

Nearly 120 asylum seekers have been evacuated from Libya to Rwanda in the first such flight of the year.

The group of men, women, and children - the youngest less than one-year-old - were from Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia.

Most had been living in urban areas of Libya's capital, Tripoli, and others had been arbitrarily held in detention, some for several months.

The group evacuated on Tuesday night will join another 269 refugees and asylum seekers in Gashora, where the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) provides assistance including shelter, food and medical care

“These evacuation flights out of Libya continue to provide hope and safety to refugees and asylum seekers trapped in Libya,” said Djamal Zamoum, the UNHCR’s acting chief of mission in Libya.

Detainees in various Libyan migrant centres have previously described routine torture, rape, malnutrition and the spread of diseases like tuberculosis because of conditions they are forced to endure there.

Campaign group Amnesty International had called conditions "horrific" and "inhuman".

The Libyan authorities responded by announcing the closure of three large detention centres in Misrata, Tajoura and Khoms in 2019.

Rwanda has taken in more than 900 asylum seekers since mid-2019 when it signed an agreement with UNHCR and the African Union.

Libya has for years been used as a transit route for thousands of people trying to reach Europe. The majority will try to cross over the Mediterranean Sea but many do not make it.

The International Organization for Migration says more than 215 migrants have been reported dead or missing in the central Mediterranean since the beginning of this year.

Read more:

• Libya to close 'inhuman' migrant detention centres after outcry

The Gambia survive a scare against Chad to reach the group stage of qualifying for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, AFP

Ghana's opposition has said it will contest a law introducing a controversial new tax on electronic payments at the supreme court.

The Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) Bill was approved by parliament on Tuesday.

It was considered under a certificate of urgency and was adopted at a reduced rate of 1.5% from the proposed 1.75%.

Opposition MPs refused to participate in the vote and staged a walk out, describing the tax as unfair.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta defended the bill, saying it would bring in projected revenues of $930m (£700m) per year.

President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government also said the move will help address Ghana’s high public debt.

The government recently announced sweeping spending cuts to tackle the deficit.

It blamed worsening economic hardships on the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Kennedy Gondwe
BBC News, Lusaka

Image source, Nkweto Tembwe

One of Zambia’s celebrated medical doctors has died after the Nigeria versus Ghana World Cup qualifying game on Tuesday night, when Nigerian fans started attacking players and staff on the field and caused a stampede.

It is not clear how Dr Joseph Kabungo died - there are some reports that he suffered a heart attack.

He was one of the medical personnel for the match in Abuja as Nigeria drew with their with their arch-rivals 1-1, leading to Ghana qualifying on the away goals rule.

Ugly scenes then ensued as angry Super Eagles fans peppered players with water bottles thrown from the stands as they left the pitch, with police reportedly using teargas to disperse the crowd.

The Nigerian authorities have yet to comment publicly on the incident.

The medic was a permanent fixture at major footballing events, including the most recent Fifa Arab Cup in Qatar and the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

His unexpected death has left Zambia's footballing fraternity in mourning.

“We extend our sincere condolences to Dr Kabungo’s family and the football family at large,” Zambia FA president Andrew Kamanga said in a statement confirming the death.

Zambian football legend Kalusha Bwalya, who was close friends with Mr Kabungo was in shock, telling the BBC he couldn't believe the news.

Dr Kabungo was the national team medic when the southern African country lifted their historic Africa Cup of Nations trophy in 2012.

He was also part of the Fifa and Confederation of African Football (Caf) medical committees at the time of his death.

Thomas Naadi
BBC News, Accra

Ghana's players and staff arrived home early on Wednesday to rapturous welcome after becoming the first African nation to reach the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

They were met at the airport with bottles of champagne to celebrate their qualification over arch-rivals Nigeria.

President Nana Akufo Addo congratulated coach Otto Addo in a phone call for the "perfect birthday gift".

He joked that Ghana would kidnap coach Otto Addo who was only tasked to qualify the team for the World Cup and return to his home country Germany.

Earlier street jubilations erupted across Ghana at the end of the match played in Abuja.

The Pakistani military has released the identities of six soldiers who were killed in a helicopter crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The helicopter crashed while undertaking a reconnaissance mission in North Kivu province.

It was carrying six crew members from Pakistan and two military staff from Russia and Serbia respectively.

The Pakistani soldiers were identified as ​​Lt Col Asif Ali Awan, Maj Saad Nomani, Maj Faizan Ali, Naib Subedar Samiullak Khan, Havaldar Muhammad Ismail and Lance Havaldar Muhamad Jamil.

The Pakistani military said the cause of the crash was yet to be ascertained.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his "deep sense of shock and grief", his office said, external.

Pakistani Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has tweeted photos of the six soldiers:

Image source, EPA

Sudan's military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has appointed new heads of 30 public universities.

It followed his decree dissolving the boards of trustees of the government-run universities.

He has been ruling by decree since he ousted the transitional government led by civilian Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok in October 2021.

Professors at Sudan University said they would begin a strike to protest against the decision, the Reuters news agency reports.

The news agency also cited the head of the University of Khartoum as describing Gen Burhan's decisions as illegal.

Learning institutions have been instrumental in the protests against the military rulers.

Last week, authorities in the capital Khartoum dismissed 13 education ministry officials and accused them of disobeying directives issued after the coup to keep separate educational issues from politics.

Samba Cyuzuzo
BBC Great Lakes

The M23 rebel group has denied shooting down a UN helicopter that crashed on Sunday while carrying peacekeepers on a reconnaissance mission in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The group accused the Congolese army of downing the helicopter while attacking their positions.

“That plane was hit by FARDC [DR Congo's armed forces]'s shooting.” Major Willy Ngoma, the M23 spokesperson, told the BBC.

The DR Congo army had on Tuesday blamed the rebels for the crash.

Clashes between the rebels and the Congolese army has seen more than 6,000 civilians flee their homes in Rutshuru area of North Kivu province, according to the Red Cross.

Kalkidan Yibeltal
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Ethiopia has started a new drive to repatriate tens of thousands of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

The first batch of 498 women and children returnees were received on Wednesday by senior government officials at Addis Ababa's main airport.

It follows reports of undocumented migrants being subjected to inhumane treatment in the Middle East country, including detention in squalid centres.

The Ethiopian authorities hope to repatriate 100,000 nationals back home over the next 11 months.

The government has come under criticism particularly on social media for not doing enough on the plight of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia

It is unclear if the returnees will be provided with sustainable livelihoods at home.

Lack of attractive local opportunities has previously seen returnees go back to the Middle East shortly after repatriation.

Image source, Getty Images

The United States has expressed “concern” over growing tensions in South Sudan.

It cited recent clashes between forces loyal to rival sides in Upper Nile state and an “inflammatory rhetoric” that was “counterproductive” to peace.

In a statement, the US State Department called on President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar to honour their obligations under the peace deal signed in 2018.

It said the clashes and the withdrawal of the opposition from a body overseeing the peace process was undermining the agreement.

It asked the two leaders "to do their utmost to de-escalate tensions," noting that they were both responsible for the deteriorating situation.

President Kiir and Mr Machar signed a peace deal in 2018 following five years of civil war.

But its implementation has been hampered by mistrust among the leaders, inter-communal fighting and insecurity.

Mercy Juma
BBC News, Nairobi

Four months on from the abduction in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, of wealthy businessman Samson Teklemichael his family are still waiting for answers about what happened to him.

Last November, videos shared widely on social media, appeared to show the Ethiopian national being kidnapped in broad daylight.

In the middle of a road, just outside Nairobi’s central business district, he is seen being pulled out of his car and bundled into another vehicle which speeds off.

Still no-one knows where Mr Samson is.

His wife, Milen Mezgebo, is distraught. She says the incident shocked the family and her children keep asking questions that she cannot answer.

“My kids are tortured every day… they have seen the video,” she tells the BBC.

She says that the only time she has talked to the police was when she went to give a statement about her husband’s disappearance. Since then she has heard nothing from the authorities.

Mr Samson, originally from Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, earned his money running a liquefied petroleum business. He has lived in Kenya with his family for the last 17 years.

The Ethiopian government has appealed to Kenya to speed up investigations into his whereabouts. Its ambassador to Kenya, Meles Alem, says the Kenyan government has told them the police are carrying out an investigation but it did not divulge any details.

The Kenyan government has not responded to the BBC’s request for comment.

Image source, Family of Samson Teklemichael

The motive for the abduction remains a mystery.

Given that Mr Samson is from Tigray, some thought it could have been wrapped up in the country’s civil war.

Others have pointed to Kenya’s police, which has been blamed for dozens of disappearances in recent years.

But police spokesperson Bruno Shioso dismisses this speculation.

“We are there to protect the lives of people, of citizens, and any other persons who may be within our territory,” he tells the BBC.

“We have criminals who are very active, they have the tactics, so it is not the police, and it shouldn’t be the police.”

A traffic police officer can be seen in the video of Mr Samson being taken away.

Mr Shioso acknowledges that it was a policeman but says he was out on official duty and only stopped “to inquire what the commotion was about”. He says the police officer “was not at the scene to assist or arrest”.

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The thousands who left are now faced with a decision about where to continue their studies.

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