Swedish and Finnish embassies in Zambia are facing a backlash in the country after raising the rainbow flag along with their own national flags on their premises on Tuesday.

Same-sex relationships are outlawed in Zambia, where British colonial-era laws on homosexuality still apply.

The Swedish embassy in Zambia tweeted the rainbow flag using the hashtag #Idahot2022, which stands for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia.

"LGBTIQ rights are human rights - always and everywhere," the tweet said.

The Finnish ambassador also tweeted "standing together for human rights".

Former Zambian diplomat Emmanuel Mwamba has demanded answers from the country's foreign ministry, The Lusaka Times website reports.

"It is surprising that these embassies chose to fly these flags at their premises without due regard to the law and cultural sensitivity of Zambians and Zambia on the matter,” he is quoted as saying.

In December 2019, the US recalled its ambassador to Zambia over a diplomatic row after he had criticised the imprisonment of a gay couple.

The Zambian government had accused the ambassador of trying to dictate policy.

Ishaq Khalid
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, Getty Images

Police in Nigeria say they are searching for those who appear in a video circulating on social media showing last week's lynching of a female student in the northern city of Sokoto.

Deborah Samuel, a Christian student, was accused of blasphemy for insulting Islam at a college - prompting an angry reaction from some Muslim students.

She was killed by a mob, who set her body alight last Thursday.

Two suspects were arrested at the time but denied involvement when they appeared in court on Monday.

Police spokesperson Sanusi Abubakar said others had fled the scene and could be spotted in the video.

He urged the public to support officers in their hunt for these suspects.

One person died and five others are receiving treatment after a group of protesting youths stormed a police station in Ghana's northern town of Nkoranza, police say.

The protesters also freed some six suspects from police cells during the chaos, police said in a statement , externalon Wednesday.

The protests on Tuesday followed the killing of a 28-year-old suspect by police during an operation targeting armed robbery suspects in the area.

Those injured during the clashes are receiving treatment for gunshot wounds, a local outlet reports quoting a hospital official.

The official said one patient was in a comma with a bullet stuck in his chest.

“We have about nine people who have suffered various injuries; some have been sent to the theatre to be operated on," John Bremini is quoted as saying by MyJoyonline site.

The website also shared a video showing damaged vehicles at the police station moments after the attack.

Police said the situation was now under control and two suspects have been arrested in connection to the chaos.

Five African players hope to be part of Rangers history when the Scottish giants take on Germany's Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, Getty Images

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has welcomed the redeployment of US forces in Somalia where al-Shabab attacks increased during a prolonged electoral crisis.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden’s administration announced plans to send about 600 American forces to support targeted operations against al-Shabab Islamist militants.

This came a day after Somali MPs elected Mr Mohamud in a tense vote that ended the country's transition crisis.

“The US has always been a reliable partner in our quest to stability and fight against terrorism,” a statement posted on the official Twitter account of the Somali presidency said., external

Mr Biden’s predecessor withdrew 700 US forces who had been supporting the Somali army through training and carrying out air strikes against al-Qaeda-affiliated militants.

An opinion article in the pro-government Puntland Post said the US decision undermined security reforms that had been undertaken by President Mohamud's predecessor.

Al-Shabab has not yet reacted to the US announcement but has profiled the incoming Somali leader as a "puppet".

The Philadelphia zoo in the US has introduced Uganda's iconic long-horned Ankole cattle to its animal exhibition.

The Ankole, referred to as the “cattle of kings”, is a breed native to Africa and known for its massive horns that grow as the animal ages, eventually weighing about 7kg each (15lb).

“We are thrilled to bring this striking breed to the zoo for the first time in our 163-year history. We are certain they will enhance our visitor’s experience while highlighting the conservation work the zoo supports in Uganda,” the zoo said in a statement.

Its three animals are called Yamaani, Gaaju and Kutekaana - names given by the Banyankole people of Uganda based on their colours and markings:

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni is occasionally pictured with his herd of Ankole cattle, such as this photo he shared on Twitter in 2019:

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

The military in Uganda says it will withdraw hundreds of troops it sent last year to help neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo combat an Islamist insurgency.

The Ugandan land forces commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba said that Operation Shujaa had only been intended to last for six months and would end by next month unless an extension was agreed.

The authorities in DR Congo said the terms and timeline for the Ugandan withdrawal would need to be agreed by both countries.

In December, Uganda sent 1,700 soldiers to take part in the joint operation with Congolese troops against rebels known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

The ADF is accused of carrying out raids and massacres in eastern DR Congo and bombings in Uganda.

Image source, Getty Images

Senegalese President Macky Sall has expressed support for Paris Saint-Germain and Senegalese player Idrissa Gueye amid reports the footballer refused to wear a rainbow-coloured number on the back of his jersey.

Last weekend, players in France wore them to show support for the LGBTQ movement, French state-owned broadcaster France 24 reports.

It quotes PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino as citing “personal reasons" for the player's absence from the field.

The reports have sparked criticism about Gueye, who is a devout Muslim. He has not reacted to the reports.

The case has seen Valerie Pecresse, a candidate at the French presidential election last month, call for sanctions against the player.

"A refusal by Idrissa Gana Gueye to join the fight against homophobia could not remain without sanction!" she tweeted, external.

But in a tweet, President Sall said the player's "religious convictions must be respected".

Many Senegalese people are deeply religious, and those in same-sex relationships are often forced to hide their sexuality.

Homosexual acts are banned in the West African country. It is punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to $2,500 (£1,500).

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

Humanitarian organisations have warned that across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, one person is dying every 48 seconds from acute hunger linked to conflict, the climate crisis and the rising cost of food.

A report by Oxfam and Save the Children estimates that around the world, 181 million people will experience crisis levels of hunger this year, with women particularly affected.

The organisations say starvation is a political failure.

They criticise the international community for responding too late and with too little to prevent "cyclical and predictable" emergencies.

Our proverb of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

HIV-positive Ugandan singer Philly Lutaaya was ostracised by some but his openness shifted attitudes.

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for today, but we'll be here again on Wednesday morning Nairobi time.

In the meantime you can check the BBC News website for African news updates as well as listen to our 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 picture of a car in the Namib desert in southern African by photographer Jessé Manuel.

The Nigerian government has asked Facebook and other social media sites to stop allowing Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) to use their platforms to "incite violence and instigate ethnic hatred in Nigeria," according to a press release.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the request at a meeting in Abuja with Facebook employees.

Ipob wants to create a breakaway state in south-east Nigeria called Biafra.

“For whatever reason, they seem to have now chosen Facebook as their platform of choice. And their tools include disinformation, incendiary statements and hate speech," the minister said.

"They tag those opposed to their violent ways as 'saboteurs' who must be attacked, maimed and killed," he continued.

Last week a BBC investigation found that a network of Nigerian separatists based outside the country is using social media to call for violence and incite ethnic hatred against opponents of Biafran independence.

Facebook's parent company, Meta, told the BBC that calling for violence on its platform was unacceptable. It said that it had 15,000 people reviewing content in more than 70 languages - including Igbo.

Read more: Nigerian 'media warriors' call for killings on social media over Biafra

Image source, Reuters

No survivors have been found in a rescue chamber of a zinc mine in Burkina Faso, after eight miners got trapped hundreds of metres underground by flood waters last month.

The mine has two chambers – and they are a place of safety and contain essential supplies like water and food.

"The rescue teams have opened the refuge chamber [estimated to be at a depth of about 570m], unfortunately it is empty," Reuters quotes the government's information service as saying.

The mine, which is owned by Canadian firm Trevali, has a depth of more than 710m (2,329ft) - and a second rescue chamber is located at the bottom.

A search is ongoing, according to the same information service, and will continue until any person is found alive or dead.

The mine is located about 100km (60 miles) west of the capital, Ouagadougou.

Last week, the Canadian mine owners said search crews were working 24 hours a day to find the workers.

The case has caused outrage in Burkina Faso, as rescue operations only got under way following protests and a sit-in at a government building at a nearby town five days after the floods.

The area saw heavy thunderstorms on 16 April that cut off electricity and communications.

• Read more: Families of trapped miners cling on to hope

Correction 18 May 2022: This post has been amended to make it clear that only one rescue chamber has been searched in the mine.

Peter Jegwa
Lilongwe, Malawi

Image source, AFP

Former Malawi president, Bakili Muluzi, has lost an appeal which would have led to a corruption case he is facing being discontinued.

The 79-year-old who served two five-year terms as president between 1994 and 2004 stands accused of diverting 1.7bn Malawi kwacha ($2.4m; £1.9m) of government money into his personal account during his tenure. He denies the charge.

The case was first brought to court 14 years ago but multiple postponements and disagreements over technicalities have delayed its conclusion.

Mr Muluzi had sought to have the case discontinued by the Supreme Court of Appeal, arguing the section of law used by the graft-busting body contradicted the country’s constitution and infringed on his rights as an accused person.

Macharia Maina
BBC News

Kenyans have recorded the highest percentage of undecided voters in the history of the country’s elections, according to various opinion polls.

With less than 90 days until the August presidential election, the CEO of research company, TIFA, says 20% of registered voters do not know whom to vote for, compared to less than 10% in previous elections.

“If the candidate who wins [does it] with a small margin, it’s likely to create a very tense situation where people could contest and say this vote was stolen or it’s not appropriate," Maggie Ireri said.

She also notes that Kenya has seen an increase in polling companies in this election, and is calling for strict regulation of this rapidly growing sector.

“There are a lot of pollsters out there. But the question is whether they are using the right methodology.”

BBC World Service

The authorities in Nigeria say at least nine people have been killed in an explosion near a primary school in the northern city of Kano.

Nigeria’s ministry of humanitarian affairs says victims have been recovered from the rubble of a building devastated by the blast outside the school.

Part of the school’s roof was also been blown off. Police are still investigating the cause of the blast but initial reports suggest it was caused by a gas cylinder in a welding shop.

News of the blast caused tension and panic across the commercial city.

South Africa batter Zubayr Hamza is banned for nine months after accidentally taking his father's heart medication.

BBC Focus on Africa

Image source, Reuters

Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay has just made history.

He's won stage 10 of the Giro D'Italia, to become the first black African to win a stage on the Grand Tour.

It comes a week before Eritrea celebrates its Independence Day.

BBC World Service

A military court in Tunisia has issued prison sentences to four MPs on charges of assaulting policemen last year.

Those sentenced include Saif Eddine Maklouf, who heads the Karama Party in the dissolved parliament.

A prominent critic of President Kais Saied, he has been sentenced to five months in jail - three other members of the party received similar sentences.