Image source, AFP

Mali's military junta says it thwarted an attempted coup last week led by "Western-backed" soldiers.

The alleged foiled coup took place on the night between 11 and 12 May, the junta said in a statement without providing evidence.

The statement read out on state television on Monday said: "The attempt was thwarted thanks to the vigilance and professionalism of the defence and security forces."

It did not give details of the alleged coup plotters' identity and whereabouts, but said they would be handed over to justice.

The AFP news agency quoted a military source as saying that about 10 arrests were made.

Mali's military has seized power twice since August 2020 when it ousted elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and has been under pressure to return the country to democratic rule.

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It reverses a decision by his predecessor Donald Trump to withdraw some 700 troops from the country.

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for today, but we'll be here again Tuesday 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.

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And we leave you with this picture of tomatoes on sale at Mile 12 International Market in Lagos, Nigeria:

Image source, Reuters

Ishaq Khalid
BBC News, Abuja

Police in Nigeria say four suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the killing of a musical sound engineer by a mob in Lagos.

The authorities say a number of other suspects are being tracked down.

The killing of David Sunday Imoh has sparked outrage with the hashtag #JusticeForDave trending on social media in Nigeria.

The exact circumstances leading to his death are still unclear.

But local media reports suggest the 38-year-old was beaten to death and his body set alight by a mob following a heated argument with a commercial motorbike rider over pay.

The violence happened in Lagos' Lekki area last Thursday.

A police spokesperson told the BBC that a criminal investigation was under way.

This is happening at a time when Nigerians continue to react to the killing of a female student in the northern city of Sokoto after she was accused of blasphemy against Islam.

Human rights campaigners say the frequent cases of mob violence in Africa’s most populous country are fuelled by impunity and a lack of confidence in the criminal justice system.

Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg

A white student in South Africa has been suspended from university after he was accused of urinating on the property of a black student at Stellenbosch University, the institution confirmed to BBC News on Monday.

The university has said the incident will be investigated and further action including expulsion and criminal charges may be taken, depending on the outcome of the investigation.

Scores of students protested at Stellenbosch University on Monday demanding swift action against the first-year student .

The university – like many on social media who have seen the widely circulated video – has said the incident appears to have been racially motivated.

In a statement, Stellenbosch University spokesperson Martin Viljoen said that the university "strongly condemns the destructive, hurtful and racist incident”.

The victim is still in shock and trying to process what happened, the university has said.

According to local media reports, he was sleeping and awoke when he heard that someone was in his room.

In the video he is heard asking the white student why he is urinating on his belongings.

The incident has once again shone a spotlight on South Africa’s struggles with racism – decades after the end of apartheid.

Nomia Iqbal
BBC News, Washington

President Joe Biden has reportedly authorised the redeployment of several hundred American troops into Somalia.

This largely reverses the decision made by Donald Trump when he was in office and withdrew nearly all 700 ground troops who had been stationed there.

US intelligence officials estimate that al-Shabab has up to 10,000 members. Even though it fights inside Somalia, officials say some members have ambitions to strike the US.

Two years ago the group carried out a deadly attack on an American air base in Kenya.

It's not known how many soldiers President Biden has authorised but they are said to be part of a special operations force that will be on the ground inside Somalia.

It's also being reported that he has approved a plan to target about a dozen suspected leaders of al-Shabab.

This revives an open ended American counter-terrorism operation and is in contrast to Mr Biden's decision to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan.

Martha Karua, a former rival who once served as justice minister, joins the ticket of ex-PM Raila Odinga.

Image source, AFP

Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embaló has dissolved the parliament, three months after he had said he had survived a coup attempt.

In a statement quoted by the Reuters news agency he accused the lawmakers of corruption.

He also cited "persistent and unresolved differences" with parliament, the AFP news agency reports.

"The National People's Assembly has defended and protected, under the guise of parliamentary immunity, deputies heavily indicted for crimes of corruption, harmful administration and embezzlement," the president said.

Mr Embaló dismissed the government, but kept both the prime minister and his deputy in place in order to keep things running until the next legislative elections, VOA says, external.

"I have decided to give the floor to Guineans so that again this year they can freely choose at the ballot box the parliament they wish to have," President Embaló said.

Guinea-Bissau has seen more than a dozen coups or attempted coups since independence in 1974.

Shooting broke out in the capital in February and 11 people were killed in five hours of fighting.

The president said there had been an attempt on his life, but some later questioned his version of events.

Image source, Reuters

Several hundred US troops could return to Somalia after President Joe Biden approved their deployment largely reversing a decision by his predecessor, Donald Trump. The president has also signed off on a request from the Pentagon to target suspected leaders of the al-Shabab militant group, the New York Times reports, external.

"The decision to reintroduce a persistent presence was made to maximise the safety and effectiveness of our forces and enable them to provide more efficient support to our partners,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson is quoted as saying, adding that it would enable “a more effective fight against al-Shabab”.

It comes as Somali MP's elected a new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on Sunday.

Read more: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud: Who is Somalia's new leader?

He has made history, becoming the country's president for the second time in a competitive vote.

Nichola Mandil
BBC News, Juba

Cattle herders from South Sudan's Dinka Bor community of Jonglei State have been urged to leave Eastern Equatoria State and return to their areas of origin.

The call follows recent deadly clashes during a raid on a Dinka Bor cattle camp that left at least 20 people dead – including women, children and elderly people.

The attacks were carried out by suspected Murle armed raiders from the Greater Pibor area, according to Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore.

Mr Lobong said following the violence, hundreds of people from the Madi community who live in the area were forced from their homes.

"The people of Eastern Equatoria State are suffering from a conflict that is transferred from Greater Jonglei to their area. I strongly reiterate my appeal to the people of Greater Jonglei to go back to their areas and try to find ways of addressing their issues amongst themselves," Mr Lobong said in a press release.

Mr Lobong alleged that since the herders arrived months ago, their cattle had caused severe damage to crops on local farms. He added that they have also been harassing the host community, who are mainly farmers – intimidating and humiliating them.

Image source, Getty

Attitudes in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray towards taking up arms to fight against the federal government are shifting, the Reuters news agency reports, external.

Whereas once Tigrayans were said to be enthusiastic in their commitment to sign up to support the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that is now on the wane, Reuters says.

It has interviewed a dozen captured fighters and aid workers who say that in parts of Tigray people are now being forcibly recruited.

In response the TPLF said that this was a rare occurrence and people who had done it were punished, Reuters says quoting Kindeya Gebrehiwot, from the Tigray external relations office.

The civil war between the federal army and Tigrayan forces is now in its 19th month. It has caused a humanitarian disaster with hundreds of thousands of people forced from their homes and millions in desperate need of food aid.

Ashanti Gold and Inter Allies are relegated to the third tier of Ghanaian football as players and officials from both clubs are sanctioned for match-fixing.

Somalia's neighbour Kenya has joined in the congratulations for the country's new President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

President Uhuru Kenyatta wished his new counterpart "good health and success as he takes over the reins of leadership, and assured him of Kenya's continued cooperation and comradeship", state house said.

Kenya shares a long border with Somalia and has been the victim of attacks by the Somalia-based al-Shabab militant group.

The country also contributes troops to the African Union force backing Somalia's federal government in its fight against al-Shabab.

The success of the Mogadishu government in dealing with the militants has a direct impact on Kenya.

The chairperson of the African Union commission, Moussi Faki Mahamat, has also sent his congratulations:

Read more:

• Hassan Sheikh Mohamud: Who is Somalia's new leader?

Lens and Ivory Coast midfielder Seko Fofana wins the Marc-Vivien Foe award for the best African player in France's top flight.

Image source, BBC/Peter Mwangangi

Kenyans online have been complaining about traffic jams on a newly opened expressway in the capital Nairobi.

Some of the pictures shared online show long queues of vehicles on lanes leading up to toll booths on the mostly elevated highway that cuts across the city centre.

Some Kenyans have mocked the situation, while others have been outraged by the apparent gridlock the road was meant to address.

The 27km (16 mile) long highway built by a Chinese company was opened to the public for a “trial phase” on Saturday pending its official launch in a month’s time.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said two weeks ago that this phase would test its usage and "allow us to put final touches on some unfinished sections”.

He also said the road would “help us end the rampant traffic jam that is experienced in Nairobi”.

Built at a cost of $600m (£490m), the highway - which runs from the west side of the capital to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport – is the only toll road in the country.

It is expected to reduce the time to move between the central business district and the airport to just 15 minutes from more than two hours, according to the authorities.

A toll of about $3 per trip for private motorists is being charged.

Kenya did not borrow any cash to build the road, but the contractor is expected to collect toll fees for 27 years and then hand over the project back to the government.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, NDLEA

Nigeria’s drug control authority says it has seized about 200,000 tablets of various pharmaceutical opioids and illicit substances in raids across the country.

It follows weeks of surveillance and raids on places where suspected drug traffickers were hiding.

The spokesperson for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Femi Babafemi, said several arrests have been made.

The agency also said that it foiled fresh bids by drug cartels to export tramadol, ecstasy and cannabis to Milan, Italy and Dubai, United Arab Emirates through the airport in Lagos.

It comes less than a week after a freight agent was reportedly arrested at the same airport while attempting to export food items in which hidden blocks of cannabis as well as ecstasy were hidden.

A female passenger was also arrested while trying to board a Royal Air Maroc flight from Lagos via Casablanca to Milan with 1,000 tablets of tramadol concealed in food items.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Odinga Campaign

Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has named Martha Karua as his running mate, making the veteran politician the first woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket.

Ms Karua, a former justice minister and presidential candidate, is from the central region which has one of the highest numbers of registered voters in the country.

Mr Odinga is seen as one of the frontrunners to take the top job in August's election.

On Sunday, his main rival, Deputy President William Ruto picked businessman Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate.

Mr Gachagua is facing trial on charges of corruption and money-laundering worth $65m (£53m), which he denies.

Lalla Sy
BBC News, Burkina Faso

Image source, Reuters

It’s been a month since eight workers at the Perkoa mine in Burkina Faso were trapped more than 700m underground following a flood.

Rescue teams are pumping the water to the surface to reach a refuge chamber in the hope of finding them alive.

But as time passes hope is diminishing.

Among the trapped men are six Burkinabès, one Tanzanian and one Zambian.

On Sunday, rescuers were 3.5m from where it is thought the miners are sheltering.

Rescuers say the operation is progressing slowly as they have to pump out 2.5m litres of water for every one metre down. Their equipment is also getting clogged up.

The rescue team has received new pumps and equipment from South Africa and Ghana to work faster and today it is considering sending divers.

But the divers may find it hard to see through the muddy and possibly polluted water.

The families cling on to the idea that their loved ones are still alive and the government says the ventilation system is still working in the shelter.