Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu hopes to finish the campaign strongly after returning from almost three months out with a hamstring injury.

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

Civil society organisations in Zambia have called on the US investment firm BlackRock to delay or cancel debt interest payments, warning that government spending is being severely affected.

Campaigners say Zambia has had to cut its education, health and social care budgets as it tries to service $13bn (£10bn) worth of external debt.

Almost half is owed to private lenders. The country has been struggling financially for several years.

It became the first in Africa to default during the coronavirus pandemic.

BlackRock refused to suspend debt interest payments in 2021. The International Monetary Fund has provisionally agreed to give Zambia more than $1bn in credit over the next three years.

Lalla Sy
BBC News, Abidjan

Five soldiers in Benin have been killed by suspected militants in the Pendjari National Park in the north.

Northern Benin has seen an increase in jihadist activity and recruitment because of its proximity to conflict zones in neighbouring Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria.

In 2019, a local guide was killed and two French nationals were kidnapped.

They were subsequently released.

There have also been at least three militant attacks on the army in the northern region since November last year.

Image source, AFP

Nigeria's University of Lagos (Unilag) has appealed for information after the body of an unidentified person was found floating in a section of the city's lagoon that the university overlooks.

It was discovered off the university's shore after heavy rain over the weekend - and immediately reported to the police, according to a Unilag statement posted on Twitter, external.

It is not yet clear how the body ended up on the shore or how the person died.

Unilag's beach front offers good views of the lagoon - and is a place people go to relax.

The university wants people to get in touch with the police if they know anything about the incident.

Unilag also sought to reassure students and staff that "no effort" would be spared to ensure their safety.

The prestigious university hosts an array of impressive alumni like Nobel Prize-winning writer Wole Soyinka and the country's current Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

A lawyer in Egypt is suing the Arabic language remake of the television series Suits, claiming that the production company has not paid for the suits - and other clothes - worn by the show's stars.

The firm denies the allegation and says it will counter-sue for defamation.

The claim, for about $1.5m (£1.2m) - has been filed on behalf of a luxury tailor in Cairo that specialises in making clothes for celebrities.

The Arabic version of Suits has been one of the big hits this Ramadan, when TV companies broadcast their biggest series.

Image source, Getty Images

A former convict who was recently appointed as mayor of a South African municipality has pledged to give up his salary and other trappings of the office.

In his inauguration speech, Gayton McKenzie of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) party said nothing from Central Karoo district would be spent on him during his tenure.

This includes not having a mayoral vehicle and bodyguards.

He used his funds to pay for the food eaten at his inauguration, local media outlets report.

Mr McKenzie confirmed his pledge with a tweet on Tuesday, that added that "taxpayers looked after me in jail, I'm free now".

Mr McKenzie promised to intensify the fight against illegal immigration.

He served seven years of a 15-year sentence for armed robbery after being arrested in 1996. He was released from prison in 2003.

Ivory Coast's football federation (FIF) decide not to renew the contract of national team coach Patrice Beaumelle.

David Wafula
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Getty Images

The Botswana health ministry says it has detected a new lineage of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

The infected are currently being monitored to establish more information on the potential impact of the disease and its severity.

The new sub-variant, designated as Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 has already been detected in three other countries and on four people in Botswana.

The four people were fully vaccinated and had been experiencing mild symptoms.

So far, no conclusions have been made to establish whether this sub-variant is more transmittable than the known Omicron variant.

This happens as the World Health Organization announces it is tracking a few dozen cases of the two new sub-variants of the highly transmissible Omicron strain to assess whether they are more infectious or dangerous.

Derartu Amelo
BBC Monitoring

Image source, Reuters

Ethiopia has allowed Boeing 737 Max airplanes back to its airspace, the aviation regulator has said, three years after one of its national carrier jets crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa.

All 149 passengers and eight crew members aboard the Ethiopian Airlines flight from the Ethiopian capital to Nairobi in Kenya died.

The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) said it lifted the ban after being satisfied with improvements in the planes’ design and the airlines’ pilot training programme.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cleared the planes to resume flights in November 2020, but ordered mandatory pilot training and modification of flight computer.

Ishaq Khalid
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, Shuaibu Garga

Mass burials have taken place in Nigeria’s Plateau state for the dozens of victims of Sunday's deadly attacks in several villages.

At least 150 people were killed in the latest wave of attacks by armed gangs.

As the victims were being buried in mass graves, people were still searching for more bodies outside the villages where the attacks took place.

Most of the dead were young men and children. Many of them were shot dead as they tried to escape the attacks.

The burials took place amidst tears and shock in these rural communities.

The raids on at least four villages in Kanam area in Plateau state were some of the worst in Nigeria for many months.

The authorities have not given the specific number of people killed. But residents and a traditional ruler have told the BBC more than 150 bodies had been recovered.

Dozens of homes were burnt down and hundreds of people displaced.

People - mainly women and children - continue to flee to neighbouring towns and villages.

Residents have complained that it took the security forces nearly 24 hours to arrive in the villages after the attacks. More security forces have now been deployed.

Nigeria is grappling with a wave of violence by armed gangs who frequently carry out killings and kidnappings for ransom – mostly in unprotected rural communities.

Read more on this topic:

• The motorcycle bandits terrorising northern Nigeria
• Five reasons why Nigerians don't feel safe

Planes full of cash, Luis Suarez' handball and old rivals Nigeria haunt Ghana, writes Elizabeth Ohene.

Image source, EPA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reached out to the African Union (AU) for support against Russia's aggression and requested to address the continental organisation.

Mr Zelensky called Senegalese President Macky Sall on Monday and their conversation touched on an AU statement in February that called for an immediate ceasefire and a return to negotiations.

African nations have showed disunity in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Senegal was among 17 African countries that abstained from a vote at the UN on a resolution demanding that Russia ends its military operations in Ukraine.

In the telephone conversation, Mr Zelensky informed Mr Sall of Ukraine's "struggle against invasion and heinous crimes of the Russian aggressor", according to a tweet.

Mr Sall, the current president of the AU, acknowledged the talks and Mr Zelensky's request to address the African Union.

Image source, S Ramírez Amaya

A Colombian researcher has died after being trampled by an elephant in Uganda's Kibale National Park.

Sebastián Ramírez Amaya , who is based at a university in the US, had been carrying out a routine research in the park forest with an assistant when the incident happened, according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

“They came across a lone elephant which charged at them forcing the duo to run in different directions. The elephant followed Sebastian and trampled on him leading to his death,” UWA’s spokesman Bashir Hangi is quoted as saying.

According to his website, he was studying a group of chimpanzees in the park, along with other primates.

The elephant attack at Kibale was the first deadly incident at the park in 50 years, UWA said.

In January, a Saudi tourist was killed by an elephant at Murchison Falls, another park in the country, when he left the vehicle he was travelling in with friends.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, NNPC

The European Union is strengthening relations with Nigeria as it seeks to diversify sources of its natural gas imports in an attempt to reduce reliance on Russian energy.

Nigeria is the fourth biggest liquified natural gas supplier to Europe. At least 40% of Nigeria's gas is currently exported to Europe.

The EU seeks to cut the use of Russian gas in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

It's diplomats visited the Nigeria's state-owned oil company on Monday for meetings on increasing cooperation in the energy sector

“We are not only major clients for Nigeria, we are also major partners in the oil and gas sector because some of the companies that are working with you are from Europe. So we share the same interest and same objectives,” the EU Ambassador in Nigeria Samuela Isopi said.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) chief executive assured the European delegation that the company was keen on increasing gas supply to the global market.

Nigeria authorities say the country has a proven natural gas reserve of 209.5 trillion cubic feet (TCF) as at January 2022.

Revenue from oil and gas account for about two-thirds of Nigeria's funding.

The Newsroom
BBC World Service

Image source, Algerian Presidency

Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi has announced a major gas deal with Algeria, which promises to reduce his country's heavy reliance on Russian imports.

Under the deal from this autumn, increased gas supplies will be sent through the Transmed undersea pipeline, which links Algeria to Italy via Tunisia.

Italy buys the vast majority of its natural gas from overseas, with 40% of it’s supplies coming from Russia.

Speaking while on a visit to the Algerian capital, Algiers, Mr Draghi said his government had signed a preliminary agreement on energy cooperation with Algeria.

"Immediately after the invasion of Ukraine I announced that Italy would move with the utmost speed to reduce dependence from Russian gas.

"Today's agreements are a significant response to this strategic goal. Others will follow," he said.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

At least 30 people have been killed during two days of attacks by gunmen in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Red Cross says

It happened in Ituri province, which along with neighbouring North Kivu, are under an official state of siege in effort by the government to stop the attacks by dozens of armed groups.

The attacks are thought to have been carried out by the Allied Democratic Front (ADF), one of the deadliest rebel groups operating in the region.

They were brutal - some of the victims had been found tied up - others had had their throats slit.

Homes were torched and property looted.

In December, more than 1,000 Ugandan soldiers crossed into DR Congo for what was meant to be a joint military operation to defeat the ADF.

But despite promises of progress, the group has continued to carry out frequent attacks on vulnerable communities.

In North Kivu, another rebel group called M23 has recently relaunched a rebellion seizing villages adding to the security crisis.

Our proverb of the day:

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

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this photo taken on the beach in Cape Town, South Africa:

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

The European Union says it is stopping its military training missions in Mali but will keep a presence in the Sahel region where jihadist attacks have been spreading in recent years.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said ministers had cited the presence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group as one of the reasons for the decision not to continue training Malian troops.

Rights groups believe Russian and Malian soldiers killed dozens of civilians during an operation against Islamist militants in central Mali late last month.

France, which has led the international military effort in the Sahel, said in February it was pulling troops out of Mali after a breakdown in relations with the ruling military junta that seized power last year.

Related stories:

• West condemns Russian mercenaries 'deployment'
• Why France faces so much anger in West Africa
• Russian mercenary plan triggers alarm

BBC Focus on Africa radio

The drought in parts of East Africa is going to get worse, warns a regional body, as another failed rainy season is predicted.

"This is going to have catastrophic consequences, particularly from now until June or July," says climate specialist Ahmed Amdihun from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad).

Three previous rainy seasons have failed, and communities in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are facing untold hardship.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Amdihun said governments "need to scale up the funding available for a response, immediately":

Listen to the full interview: