Didier Drogba will be one of six candidates to run for president of Ivory Coast's football federation later this month.

Scientists say the rainfall during storms in the region was heavier and the damage worse than before.

Jonathan Paye-Layleh
BBC News, Monrovia

Image source, Jonathan Paye-Layleh/BBC

A crowd has gathered in shock and anger in the north-eastern Liberian town of Ganta, where police say a 27-year-old taxi driver stabbed and killed his 22-year-old girlfriend before turning the knife on himself.

Grace Menlor's body was found at her home, and Preston Dolo died from his wounds later at nearby Ganta United Methodist Hospital.

As of Monday afternoon police were still deployed to Grace's house where her body remained, while Preston's body was being held in the hospital's morgue.

Family sources say Grace, a recent secondary school graduate, had moved house not long ago following problems with her boyfriend.

Official accounts as to what happened to Ayman Hadhoud differ, with his family seeking the truth.

Sailor Eya Guezguez, Tunisia's youngest competitor at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, dies aged 17 after a training accident on Sunday.

BBC Focus on Africa radio

Image source, Osinachi Nwachukwu Singing Ministry Int’l/Facebook

There has been an outpouring of emotion at the news of the death of Nigerian gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu.

Initial reports said the 42-year-old had been sick with throat cancer, but her family deny that, alleging she had been a victim of domestic abuse.

Her husband Peter Nwachukwu has been arrested by police, and has not yet commented.

"Rest in peace woman of God, oh how I loved the way she worshipped God," said South African fan Hilda Motswatswa.

Abel Phanuel in Lagos wrote: "My heart is with her family at this trying times. #SayNoToDomesticViolence."

"She really poured her heart out in the song Ekuweme," said Caren Akoth, "maybe it was her way of getting through her sorrows".

And in Liberia, David Jacque Tarpeh wrote: "This is the time for all women of Nigeria to gather together and demand justice by having a peaceful protest".

Firefighters from the UN's peacekeeping mission are tackling a fire at a sports stadium in the Central African Republic.

No deaths have been reported at the venue in the capital Bangui, according to French-language broadcaster RFI, external, and the cause of the fire hasn't yet been established.

Photos of the damage have been shared by peacekeepers:

RFI quotes the head of Central African Republic's basketball body as saying the stadium was built decades ago, in the era when the country won the continent's AfroBasket cup in 1974 and 1987.

But, Serge Singha Bengbahe adds, "today we no longer have the infrastructure. We can hardly expect to become one of the best again if we don't have a single venue that's up to standard".

Patricia Oyella
BBC News, Kampala

A magistrates' court in Uganda has issued warrants of arrest against four people who stood surety for award-winning author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija.

Mr Rukirabashaija fled into exile to Germany in February following his release on bail.

He was arrested in December last year and later charged with offensive communication for tweeting insults about the president, Yoweri Museveni and his son, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

His guarantors - who include the secretary general of opposition party National Unity Platform, David Louis Rubongoye - will have to pay a fine of up to $11,000 (£8,400) or face jail.

The arrrest warrants were issued as Mr Rukirabashaija failed to show up in court for the hearing of his case.

Last month, a court ordered Mr Rukirabashaija's arrest on similar grounds.

Before he fled the country, Mr Rukirabashaija told the BBC that he had been tortured during his detention.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has spoken out against the harassment of migrants in the country.

He compared the behaviour of vigilante groups to the apartheid regime's treatment of black South Africans.

Frequent demonstrations have been held in recent months against undocumented migrants who are often accused of taking jobs from locals and committing crime.

Last week, a Zimbabwean man was killed and burnt in an apparent mob attack in a Johannesburg township.

It followed the murder of seven South Africans in the same area.

Mr Ramaphosa criticised the fact that vigilante groups have been stopping people on the streets and forcing them to produce identification to verify their immigration status.

Image source, AFP

Image source, Getty Images

A South African judge has postponed former President Jacob Zuma's corruption trial, pending his appeal to the Supreme Court to have the lead prosecutor removed.

The former president failed to turn up to Monday's hearing at Pietermaritzburg court, saying he was too ill to attend.

Mr Zuma faces multiple charges of fraud, racketeering and money-laundering relating to a $2bn (£1.5bn) arms deal in the 1990s with a French company.

He has denied all the charges, calling them a witch-hunt by political rivals.

The BBC's Shingai Nyoka in Pietermaritzburg says the court will reconvene on 17 May to determine the way forward.

Last July, violent protests broke out in parts of South Africa after Mr Zuma was arrested in a separate case.

Numerous legal challenges have caused long delays and postponements in this highly anticipated trial.

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

Women in the media are speaking out on Mozambican Journalists' Day about the various challenges and sexual harassment they face.

"Sexual harassment is something that unfortunately stains our profession," says Cléusia Chirindza, a journalist with five years' experience, currently working for Media4 Development.

"In some newsrooms, journalists are not properly valued, especially for those who are starting their careers," she adds.

Another young journalist, Olívia Mapute of Televisão Miramar, says she is one of the "few women journalists" reporting on crime and "proud" to be challenging the status quo.

According to Naércia Langa, who has been working in the field for 10 years and who is a member of the Diário de Moçambique newspaper, there have been great advances in communication, "however several challenges still persist - the main one being access to information sources".

Like Ms Chirindza, Midia Lab journalist Cátia Mangue says a culture of sexism and sexual harassment plagues many newsrooms. She also says being a mother and wife unfairly limits women's career progression, and she cites the challenges of sourcing information as a tricky aspect of day-to-day work.

Peter Nwachukwu is in police custody after his wife Osinachi Nwachukwu died on Friday in Abuja.

Ishaq Khalid
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, Buhari T

The number of people killed by gunmen in a series of raids on several villages in Nigeria's central Plateau state has risen to more than 130.

Gunmen on dozens of motorbikes attacked at least four remote villages in Kanam area on Sunday, shooting people dead including children and young men.

A traditional ruler in the area told the BBC that 135 villagers were among the dead. He said 16 members of a self-help vigilante group were also killed.

Police and the local officials confirmed the deadly attack but did not specify the casualty figures.

The attackers stole livestock and burnt down dozens of homes. Hundreds of people have been displaced and some are missing after the attack.

Residents are complaining that security forces took nearly 24 hours to arrive after the raid. They say this is the worst violence they've ever known in in that area.

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.

Reports, results and scorecards from Bangladesh's tour of South Africa, featuring two Tests and three ODIs.

Carlos Queiroz leaves his role as Egypt coach after failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.

Afrobeats star Mr Eazi and Nigerian actress and influencer Temi Otedola have announced that they are engaged to be married.

Ms Otedola shared a video of the proposal on social media on Sunday, along with the symbol for infinity:

Ms Otedola, 26, is the daughter of Nigerian billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, and her sister is DJ Cuppy.

Thirty-year-old Mr Eazi is best known as a singer-songwriter but also owns a business called emPawa Africa, described as a talent incubator.

Fans and loved ones have been congratulating the newly engaged couple on social media - including DJ Cuppy who joked that since she was responsible for introducing the pair to one another, they should now return the favour and find her a husband, external.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

The former South African president, Jacob Zuma, has failed to turn up for the resumption of a corruption trial, citing ill health.

Mr Zuma has pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering relating to a $2bn (£1.5bn) arms deal.

The case dates back to the 1990s.

The National Prosecution Authority has accused Mr Zuma of using delay tactics to stop the trial going ahead.

On Sunday the former president said he was pursuing private prosecution proceedings to try to remove the lead prosecutor, accusing him of bias.

The Supreme Court last month rejected a bid to have the prosecutor taken off the case.

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

Former Guinean Prime Minister Ibrahima Kassory and three ex-cabinet members are due to face embezzlement charges before a court in Conakry following their arrest last week.

Mr Kassory, former Defence Minister Mohamed Diane, ex-Environment Minister Oye Guilavogui and former Hydrocarbons Minister Zakaria Coulibaly will appear at the Court of Repression of Economic and Financial Offences (Crief) on Monday.

They were detained on on Wednesday last week on charges of embezzling public funds after three days of questioning.

Mr Kassory served as prime minister from 2018 until President Alpha Condé was overthrown in a military coup last September.

The ruling junta has pledged to fight corruption and not launch a witch-hunt against prominent figures in the deposed regime.

In March, the authorities demolished the home of former Prime Minister Cellou Diallo after accusing him of building houses on public land.

The husband of deceased Nigerian gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu has been arrested following her death, local outlets report.

Osinanchi, 42, died on Friday in a hospital in the capital, Abuja.

A spokesperson of the police in the city is quoted by the Daily Trust, external and Punch, external websites as confirming the arrest of Peter Nwachukwu following a complaint from the singer's brother.

It is unclear if Mr Nwachukwu has commented on his arrest.

Osinanchi rose to fame in 2017 for the gospel song Ekwueme that she sang with Prospa Ochimana. She was also the lead singer at the Dunamis International Gospel Centre.

The Square Kilometre Array's software will control hundreds of dishes and thousands of antennas.