1. Wise words for Thursday 14 April 2022published at 05:32 British Summer Time 14 April 2022

    Our proverb of the day:

    Quote Message

    'One never knows what will happen tomorrow, and train this dog to eat roasted grain,' said the old man.

    An Oromo proverb from Ethiopia sent by sent by Ifa Gemechu.

    An illustration of a dog

    Click here to send us your African proverbs.

  2. South Africa floods kill more than 300published at 05:14 British Summer Time 14 April 2022

    KwaZulu-Natal authorities say the storm is one of the worst in South Africa's history.

    Read More
  3. Ukraine focus shows bias against black lives - WHOpublished at 21:53 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    The WHO chief says a fraction of the help given to Ukraine has been given to other humanitarian crises.

    Read More
  4. Scroll down for Wednesday's storiespublished at 19:11 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    We'll be back on Thursday

    That's all for now from the BBC Africa Live team. There will be an automated news feed here until we're back on Thursday morning.

    You can also keep up to date on the BBC News website, or by listening to the Africa Today podcast.

    A reminder of our wise words of the day:

    Quote Message

    Someone living in the desert knows the value of firewood."

    Sent by Lateef Aliyu to BBC News Pidgin

    Click here to send us your African proverbs.

    And we leave you with this photo from Kenya of a visitor to Nairobi's Giraffe Centre feeding one of the animals earlier on Wednesday:

    Giraffe at  Nairobi's Giraffe Centre in Kenya - 13 April 2022Image source, afp
  5. UN to probe Mali army helicopter rockets incidentpublished at 19:11 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    The UN has launched an investigation in Mali after an army helicopter fired several rockets in the vicinity of UK members of its peacekeeping force in the country.

    The incident took place in the area of Tessit, near Gao city in the east of the country.

    “There were no injuries or damage to UK equipment. The circumstances surrounding this incident are being investigated,” the UK’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement to the BBC.

  6. Tanzanians mark 100 years since the birth of Nyererepublished at 18:54 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Aboubakar Famau
    BBC News, Butiama

    People in the village of Butiama in Tanzania
    Image caption,

    The events in Butiama are part of efforts to educate younger Tanzanians about Julius Nyerere

    Tanzania has been marking 100 years since the birth of its founding father, the late Julius Nyerere.

    Events have been held at his ancestral village of Butiama, where he was laid to rest two decades ago.

    Some of those who attended described him as a humble man who always frowned on corruption.

    He is also remembered for his ability to unify Tanzanians from all social and cultural backgrounds, and making Swahili the country’s official language.

    During the commemorations, Emmanuel Kiondo, director of Nyerere Museum in Butiama, said they were introducing new elements into the school curriculum so students could learn more about Nyerere.

  7. Mauritius begins second Covid booster shot campaignpublished at 18:48 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Yasine Mohabuth
    Port Louis, Mauritius

    Mauritius has begun to administer a second booster Covid shot to those aged over 59 and people considered vulnerable.

    This dose is not mandatory, but is highly recommended, the health ministry says.

    It will be the third injection for people who initially received the single dose of Johnson & Johnson.

    For those who have had other vaccines - that required two shots - this will be their fourth dose.

  8. Man-killing lion in Mozambique killedpublished at 18:37 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Jose Tembe
    BBC News, Maputo

    A lion that killed three people in north-western Mozambique has been killed.

    The big cat began attacking people in Mavago district, which is within a nature reserve in Niassa Province, over the last week.

    His victims included a father and his 10-year-old daughter, attacked in the village of Iringa, and a young child who was attacked in a separate incident in the town of Nkalapa.

    A vet working for Niassa Special Reserve said the attacks happened at a time when maize cobs had matured – attracting wild pigs to the farmers’ field.

    The lions follow the pigs - and in this case led to the attacks on people near the fields.

  9. Fake soldiers arrested in Nigeria - armypublished at 18:25 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Ishaq Khalid
    BBC News, Abuja

    The men in military fatiguesImage source, Nigerian army
    Image caption,

    The army released photos of the detained suspects in military fatigues

    The Nigerian army says it has arrested 12 people in the south-west of the country for pretending to be soldiers.

    The officer in charge of the regional army division, Maj Gen Umar Thama Musa, said the suspects were detained in Lagos and Ogun states, and had been wearing full military uniforms.

    He said since January last year 150 such imposters had been arrested.

    Fake soldiers often engage in illicit activities such as mounting roadblocks to extort motorists.

  10. WHO head: Ukraine shows black and white lives not equalpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hails from Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray region

    The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the world does not give equal attention to emergencies affecting black and white people.

    WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who comes from Ethiopia's war-torn region of Tigray, said only a fraction of the help given to Ukraine was given to humanitarian crises elsewhere.

    The AFP news agency quoted him as saying:

    Quote Message

    I don't know if the world really gives equal attention to black and white lives.

    Quote Message

    The whole attention to Ukraine is very important of course, because it impacts the whole world.

    Quote Message

    But even a fraction of it is not being given to Tigray, Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria and the rest. A fraction.

    Quote Message

    I need to be blunt and honest that the world is not treating the human race the same way. Some are more equal than others."

  11. Somaliland journalists arrested on air at jail riotpublished at 17:49 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    BBC Somali service

    The scene outside Hargeisa prison during the riotsImage source, Khaalid Foodhaadhi

    At least 12 journalists have been arrested outside the main prison in Hargeisa, capital of the breakaway state of Somaliland, as they reported on riots taking place inside.

    Several of them were live on air when the security forces came to detain them. Mohamed Ilig was doing a Facebook live at the time:

    Sorry, we're having trouble displaying this content.View original content on Facebook
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Facebook content may contain adverts.

    One of those detained was Hassan Galaydh, a freelance journalist who reports for BBC Somali radio.

    News crews rushed to the jail after shots were heard from the prison on Wednesday morning.

    It is not clear what was behind the trouble, but some reports say that a heated argument broke out between prisoners about Islam.

    One of them reportedly said something disrespectful about the religion at a time most Muslims are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. When fights broke out, prison guards intervened.

    The authorities say the situation at the prison is now calm, but the journalists remain in custody.

    Somaliland and Somalia often come in for criticism for mistreating journalists - especially when they try to report what are perceived as negative stories.

  12. Kenya's Chepkirui gets four-year doping banpublished at 16:40 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Kenyan long-distance runner Joyce Chepkirui is banned for four years for an athlete biological passport (ABP) violation.

    Read More
  13. Boat capsizes in Nigeria drowning 28 teenagerspublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Ishaq Khalid
    BBC News, Abuja

    At least 28 teenagers have drowned after their boat capsized in north-western Nigeria.

    They were trying to cross a river to fetch firewood on Tuesday evening in the Shagari region of Sokoto state.

    Regional government official Aliyu Dantani told the BBC most of the dead were girls.

    It is not yet clear exactly how many people the boat was carrying but 28 bodies have been found.

    Rescuers are continuing to search the waters for others who are missing.

    It is not known what caused the boat to capsize, but boat accidents are common in Nigeria - often blamed on overloading, poor maintenance and bad weather.

    People on a boat in Nigeria - generic shotImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    Boats in Nigeria tend to have a poor safety record

  14. Ivorian cabinet resigns as part of spending-cut movepublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Lalla Sy
    BBC News, Abidjan

    Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara has announced the resignation of his Prime Minister, Patrick Achi, and that of his government.

    Mr Ouattara made the announcement during a cabinet meeting, saying he had decided to decrease the number of ministers in the government from 41 to 30 as well as reduce state spending.

    This reshuffle had been in discussion since the beginning of the year. It was first planned for January and then February.

    The president said he would name a new prime minister next week.

    Mr Achi was appointed to the post in March last year, following the death of his predecessor, Hamed Bakayoko.

  15. Durban floods: 'I got no house, I got nothing'published at 15:58 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Volunteers in Durban are searching for trapped locals after the worst floods the coast has seen in decades.

    Read More
  16. SA floods: Durban faces 'tragic toll of nature'published at 15:15 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Shingai Nyoka
    BBC News, Durban

    President Cyril Ramaphosa meets people who lost family members during flooding in Clermont, Durban, South Africa - 13 April 2022Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    President Ramaphosa has been meeting those who lost relatives in the floods

    Fog hangs over South Africa’s city of Durban, with the occasional drizzle, as the news is confirmed that the number of those who have died in flooding here has surpassed 250.

    The authorities say the ground in KwaZulu-Natal province is still saturated - and with more rain comes the threat of more flooding and more landslides.

    A helicopter continues to dart back and forth to bring people to safety. People remain trapped where dwellings caved in under mudslides.

    The BBC witnessed one search operation for a 10-year-old girl who was part of a family of four swept away on a flooded bridge.

    Community volunteers waded into the muddy river in their clothes, taking turns to hack away at the branches, using machetes, to remove debris. The family was too distraught to speak to the BBC.

    South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has been touring the affected areas, describing the storm as “the tragic toll of the force of nature”.

    Not everyone agrees - some people from some of the worst-hit communities told the BBC that the scale of this disaster was not entirely a force of nature.

    They blame poor drainage and poorly built houses in low-lying areas as being responsible for the high death toll.

    Durban’s Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has denied that poor drainage is to blame. He says the scale of the floods was totally unexpected.

    The clean-up operations continue as some businesses try to get back on their feet.

    Some of the roads to the port of Durban are still impassable after the swollen river washed mud and debris on to the roads.

    In the Bluff, an industrial area which forms the southern quayside of the port, the BBC witnessed cars overturned or crushed by debris.

    Companies are using water pumps to drain the water from their premises. Shipping services remain on hold.

    This devastation comes less than a year after violent protests and looting devastated Kwazulu-Natal - and at a time when holiday-makers usually flock to the coast for the Easter holidays.

  17. Hunt for farm crocodiles washed away in SA floodspublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Some crocodiles have been washed away from a crocodile farm during the floods that have devastated South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province.

    Crocodile Creek Farm, about 40km (25 miles) north of Durban in Tongaat, says 12 crocodiles were swept away after torrential rain hit the area.

    Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the province's conservation authority, has tweeted, external that seven of the reptiles have been recaptured and that a hunt is still on the hunt for the other five.

    A video has been circulating on social media of officials finding one of the crocodiles along the coast road:

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

    According to the farm's website, it is home to more than 6,000 crocodiles, alligators and snakes.

    Tourists usually flock to the coast around Durban at this time of year for the Easter holidays.

  18. South Africa death toll jumps to more than 250published at 13:48 British Summer Time 13 April 2022
    Breaking

    The death toll from the floods that have devastated the coastal region around South Africa's port city of Durban has risen to more than 250, officials say.

    Earlier it was estimated that at least 59 people had died in KwaZulu-Natal province.

    Nomagugu Simelane, KwaZulu-Natal's health minister, told South Africa's eNCA broadcaster that 253 people had died.

    The Reuters news agency says provincial officials now put the figure at 259.

    Residents salvage the remains of what use to be the United Methodist Church of South Africa in Clermont, near Durban - 13 April 2022Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    Months worth of rain fell in a single day in some areas

  19. Ivorian army mobilised to protect Easter revellerspublished at 13:16 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Lalla Sy
    BBC News, Abidjan

    Dancers from the Baoulé community perform in Assounvoue village during the "Paquinou" - 2018Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    Easter festivities are important for the Baoulé community

    Ivory Coast's army is mobilising 14,000 soldiers and police officers to secure this weekend's Easter festivities.

    The period, known as "Paquinou" by the Baoulé - one of the largest ethnic groups in the country, is a time for reunions.

    People from the Baoulé community welcome relatives arriving in Assounvoue village, central Ivory Coast, on March 30, 2018 on the eve of "Paquinou"Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    People travel back to central regions for family reunions during Paquinou

    Thousands of people travel to cities and villages in the central region, the traditional home for many Baoulé people.

    It is considered to be the largest movement of Ivory Coast's population during the year.

    People from the Baoulé community arrive by bus on March 30, 2018 in Assounvoue village, central Ivory Coast, to celebrate "Paquinou" - 2018Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    More people travel at Easter than at any other time of the year

    The army has dubbed the mobilisation "Operation Paquinou" - and it will focus on the roads leading to the centre of the country.

    Besides the intercity routes, the deployed forces will be securing celebration areas, places of worship and other large gatherings.

    Women from the Baoulé community cook attieke in Assounvoue village, central Ivory Coast, on the eve of "Paquinou" - 2018Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    Food is an important part of the celebrations

    Officers would be watching out for possible terrorism activity and other serious crimes, as well as minor crimes that often rise during this period, the army said in a statement.

    Ivory Coast has been hit by a few jihadist attacks in recent years - though nations to its north, like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, are more affected.

    Last year, the country inaugurated an international military academy to train regional armies battling Islamist insurgencies and the jihadists who are intensifying their attacks across the Sahel.

    Women from the Baoulé community prepare food Assounvoue village, central Ivory Coast, on the eve of "Paquinou" - 2018Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    For the Baoulé, Easter is considered a time for families to feast but also to take stock and resolve disputes

    The authorities have also asked people to avoid drink-driving and other excesses over Easter.

  20. Ghana's inflation rockets to highest in a decadepublished at 12:49 British Summer Time 13 April 2022

    Richard Hamilton
    BBC World Service Newsroom

    A view of a crowded marketplace in Accra, Ghana - 2020Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Food prices have shot up

    The rate of inflation in Ghana has risen to its highest level in almost a decade, with food prices increasing by around a fifth.

    The government said the inflation rate went up from more than 15% in February to 19.4% in March - far exceeding the central bank’s target of between 6% and 10%.

    The bank raised interest rates last month in an effort to curb rampant price rises, which analysts say threaten to plunge one of West Africa's largest economies into crisis.

    The government has also announced a package of spending cuts to try to reduce its budget deficit and prop up the local currency.