Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

Image source, Getty Images

Dozens of jihadists have beekilled during an operation conducted at the insurgents' main base in Macomia, in northern Cabo Delgado provincet, coordinator of the North Operational Theatre at the Mozambican Armed Defence Forces or FAM, Omar Saranga, said.

The Mozambican army also seized computer materials and communication radios from Catupa base, which was considered a strategic area for the militants.

Government forces also told journalists that a young man who said he worked as a security guard for the jihadists surrendered to them.

"He is an example of those Mozambicans [who are with the rebels] to whom we appeal whenever they surrender to our forces. As you can see, he is not mistreated. He has one of his arms amputated, but this was done by one of the jihadists," Col Saranga said.

Cabo Delgado has been under jihadist attacks since 2017.

This conflict has so far claimed about 4,000 lives and displaced close to 900,000 people.

The UN's peacekeeping mission in Mali, Minusma, has blamed a recent incident which saw Mali authorities arrest 49 Ivorian soldiers in Bamako on suspicion of being mercenaries on "dysfunctions", the AFP news agency has learnt.

The ruling junta in Mali says its foreign ministry was not informed of the deployment of the soldiers via the official channels.

"The mission is trying to understand how these dysfunctions were able to occur in order to avoid them occurring again in the future," the AFP quotes Minusma as saying in correspondence it saw.

Minusma has not yet officially commented.

Ivory Coast insists the troops were not mercenaries, but were there to support Minusma under an agreed contract between the two countries.

Togo has been mediating between the two sides, and just last week Mali's military government ordered the spokesperson of Minusma to leave the country.

Catherine Schenk
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, Getty Images

Four suspects accused of stealing personal belongings from the bodies of the young people who died in mysterious circumstances at a tavern in East London, South Africa, have made an initial appearance in a Magistrate's Court.

The male suspects, aged between 16 and 21, were arrested last week.

None of them have yet entered a plea, as police are still investigating.

The stolen items were recovered from their homes according to an official statement from the police.

The four allegedly stole hair weaves, shoes, clothing and a watch in the wake of the deaths of the 21 youngsters.

Cases of theft, possession of stolen property, and defeating the ends of justice have been opened against them for further investigation.

Last month, the 21 young people from Scenery Park, a township outside East London, died in the Enyobeni tavern - the youngest was aged 13.

A recent toxicology report was inconclusive, but initial findings show traces of methanol, which is a common ingredient in cleaning chemicals, were found in the bloodstream of all the victims.

They were celebrating the end of the school term when, according to eye witnesses, the pupils started collapsing.

The tavern owner and two employees appeared last week in court, charged with illegal alcohol sales to underaged people. The legal drinking age in South Africa is 18.

This court case will start on 19 August.

Read more:

• Tears for tavern teenagers at mass SA funeral
• Youngest South Africa tavern victim 13 - minister

Samba Cyuzuzo
BBC Great Lakes

Protesters in eastern Democratic of Congo’s main city, Goma, have vandalised and looted UN forces' premises, calling for them to leave the country.

The UN mission in the country, Monusco, is being criticised for failing to help restore peace in eastern DR Congo in the more than 20 years that the force has been deployed to the conflict-torn region.

People have been sharing images on social media, external of people chanting against the presence of the peacekeepers in the country as others loot materials at Monusco's main base in Goma.

Most markets and shops were closed on Monday in the nearly one million population town "in fear of looting by protesters" Eliezer Makambo, a local businessman told BBC Great Lakes.

Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, said on Twitter, external that the government “condemns any sort of attack on UN personnel and premises”.

Mr Muyaya said those responsible of Monday protests in Goma “will be seriously punished”.

With more than 15,000 peacekeepers, Monusco remains the largest UN force globally.

It had been in eastern DR Congo for more than two decades, but the region remains insecure.

Eastern DR Congo is home to more than 100 rebel groups, including M23 that has now captured areas dozens of kilometres from Goma.

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

Image source, Getty Images

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has urged religious denominations to contribute to the fight against crime in the country through spreading a message of peace, tolerance and mutual forgiveness.

Mr Nyusi was speaking on Sunday, during the inauguration of the Sikwama chapel, which he said was the largest chapel of the Old Apostolic Church in Africa, with room to seat 5,000 worshippers.

"We are concerned, for example, about the heinous crimes that have been perpetrated, all over the country," the president said.

"These are the cases of kidnappings, rapes of minors, often perpetrated by close people, and sometimes by the parents themselves," he continued.

The EU is trying to replace Russian gas with gas from Nigeria, amid the Ukraine-Russia war, the Reuters news agency has been told.

The deputy director general of the European Commission's energy department, Matthew Balwdin, was in Nigeria over the weekend holding talks with officials.

He was told that the West African nation was strengthening security in the Niger Delta region, where gas is produced.

Officials also told him the Trans Niger pipeline was being reopened, which would increase gas exports to Europe.

Currently the EU gets just 14% of its liquified natural gas from Nigeria, however, there is scope to double this amount Mr Baldwin told Reuters.

Western leaders have imposed a series of sanctions on Russian oil and gas following the invasion of Ukraine.

The EU has also committed to reducing gas imports from Russia by two-thirds within a year.

Read more:

• Ukraine crisis: Can Africa replace Russian gas supplies to Europe?

The number of women hoping to be elected is rising but they still face cultural and religious challenges.

Thomas Naadi
BBC News, Accra

Image source, Getty Images

Ghana has recorded one more death from the Marburg virus bringing to three the number of deaths since the outbreak of the virus began here.

The victim is a relative of one of the first two cases.

Marburg is a highly infectious disease in the same family as Ebola and is transmitted from a species of fruit bat to humans. It spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.

The health authorities say that the latest victim of the virus exhibited symptoms after the maximum 21 days incubation period.

Forty new contacts of the Marburg cases including 11 health workers have been identified, and more than 100 others have completed the mandatory 21 days of quarantine.

Local and WHO experts are still investigating the source of the virus in the country.

Ghana declared the Marburg outbreak earlier this month after recording the two deaths.

More resources and personnel have been sent to the affected areas to contain its potential spread.

Ghana is the second West African country to record the virus after Guinea. The illness was first identified in the German town of Marburg in 1967.

Read more about Marburg:

• What is the Marburg virus and how can it be avoided?

Nomsa Maseko
BBC Southern Africa correspondent

Image source, South African Government

Authorities in South Africa have started the formal process of extraditing the Gupta brothers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), after serving a formal extradition request to prosecutors in Dubai.

Atul and Rajesh Gupta were arrested last month after Interpol issued a red notice for them.

They are wanted in South Africa on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to just over $1.2m (£1m).

The Gupta family denies wrongdoing.

They have been living in the UAE since they fled South Africa four years ago - after an anti-corruption inquiry, known as the Zondo Commission, started investigating their alleged involvement in massive state corruption.

Ajay Gupta, the third Gupta brother, is not in custody as an arrest warrant for him was revoked. He was accused of attempting to bribe a public servant by offering him the post of finance minister, in return for state tenders.

The family has close ties to former President Jacob Zuma.

They are accused of paying financial bribes in order to win lucrative state contracts and influence powerful government appointments - a process known as state capture.

The South African Department of Justice is hoping to charge them with further crimes related to state capture.

It is holding a press conference in Pretoria at 1500 SA (1300 GMT).

Read more:

• South Africa: Wealthy Gupta brothers arrested in UAE
• The Guptas and their links to South Africa's Jacob Zuma

Image source, Reuters

Ethiopia's Guday Tsegay won the gold medal in the women's 5,000m on Sunday but her triumph was marred by controversy after a fan ran onto the field carrying what appeared to be a Tigray flag.

The fan lifted up both Ethiopian athletes, Guday Tsegay and Dawit Seyaum - who finished third - before being removed from the track by security.

Ethiopia's government launched a military offensive in November 2020 against the northern Tigray region. It followed a dispute between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and the TPLF, Tigray's dominant political party.

A civil war ensued, which has left a humanitarian crisis in its wake.

Image source, Reuters

Rhoda Odhiambo
BBC West Africa correspondent, Lagos

Families of victims who were kidnapped on a train in northern Nigeria in March are staging a protest outside the headquarters of the transport ministry.

They have been there since 6am local time (05:00GMT) and have blocked the entry to the building.

They want the government to rescue their loved ones.

"It’s been a nightmare for us, we have not been able to sleep well. We are asking the government to help us. We have no one else to turn to," one family member said.

"A two-hour journey has turned to four months. When will they come back home?" another family member questioned.

On Sunday, the abductors released a 10-minute video that showed them flogging hostages - mostly men who were on the ground.

The victims have been in captivity since the 28 March. Eleven were released last month and 40 are still believed to be in captivity.

The gunmen want the government to pay them a ransom of 4.3 billion Naira ($10m; £8.3m). They have threatened to kill all the hostages if the ransom is not paid.

Captain Refiloe Jane hopes South Africa winning the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco can bring together a nation undergoing social hardships.

Image source, Getty Images

Popular Nigerian singer, Tems, is trending for featuring on the trailer of hotly anticipated Marvel sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

In the trailer, she is heard singing a sample of Bob Marley's No Woman No Cry song.

Tems, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi, rose to international fame after featuring on Wizkid's 2020 hit song Essence, and has since gone on to win several awards including most recently America's BET award for Best International Act.

The first Black Panther film, released in 2018, was a huge international success and is listed as one of the highest grossing films of all time.

It is a superhero film set in a fictional African nation, called Wakanda.

Young Kenyans debate on why they will vote or not vote in the 2022 elections.

BBC World Service

The New York-based Human Rights Watch says the M23 rebel group has summarily executed at least 29 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo within the last month.

Witnesses told them that in a single incident in North Kivu province, the rebels killed 17 people they suspected had informed the Congolese army about M23 positions.

Others were said to have been killed in subsequent attacks in the area.

DR Congo has accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting the M23 - which Rwanda denies.

Three weeks ago, the country's two leaders agreed on a "de-escalation process" in eastern Congo.

The M23 leapt to prominence in 2012, before being driven out in a joint UN-Congolese offensive. It resumed fighting last November.

Image source, Getty Images

Retired American athletics sports champion, Michael Johnson, has found himself in hot water, after he questioned the accuracy of the clocks at the World Athletic Championships in Oregon, which saw a Nigerian sportswoman Tobi Amusan smash the 100m hurdles world record with a stunning semi-final time of 12.12 seconds.

"I don’t believe 100h times are correct," the multi Olympic gold medallist tweeted.

"World record broken by .08! 12 PBs set. 5 National records set. And Cindy Sember quote after her PB/NR “I thoroughly I was running slow!” All athletes looked shocked," he continued.

The previous record of 12.20 was set in 2016 by American Kendra Harrison.

The Nigerian, 25, ran even faster in the final - but her 12.06 was ruled ineligible by an illegal tailwind.

Online some people are lambasting Mr Johnson, with one tweeter calling him "bitter" , external.

Another person wrote, external: "Just because its not an American WR doesn't mean the times were incorrect."

Another tweeter did not mince their words, external: "Please just stop this US snobbish nonsense".

However, there were also some tweets in support of Mr Johnson's comments, including some who said they agreed, and another who posted: "Well said"., external

Mr Johnson has since responded to the online criticism, by saying his comments were simply part of his job.

"In questioning the times of 28 athletes (not 1 athlete) by wondering if the timing system malfunctioned, I was attacked, accused of racism, and of questioning the talent of an athlete I respect and predicted to win. Unacceptable. I move on."

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed the head of the appeals court, Mandisa Maya, as the country’s deputy chief justice - becoming the first woman to occupy the position.

Her appointment is effective from 1 September.

The presidency has tweeted the announcement:

Justice Maya accepted the nomination by the president to the position in March, after being interviewed for the chief justice position.

Raymond Zondo, then the deputy chief justice, was appointed the chief justice while she was nominated to deputy chief’s justice position pending an interview for the position later.

Last month she was an only candidate interviewed for the position after which the country's Judicial Service Commission announced it would advise the president to appoint her.

Richard Kagoe
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, AFP

The first cargo plane transporting the narcotic leaf known as khat has arrived in Somalia from Kenya, following a two-year ban due to a souring of diplomatic relations.

The trade is worth tens of millions of dollars a year.

Earlier this month President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed an agreement which will also see a resumption of trade in fish.

Somalia imposed a ban on the leaf ,also known as miraa, after accusing Kenya of meddling in the country's politics and due to a maritime border dispute.

President Mohamud's election victory in May led to a thawing of relations.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, @MFA Russia

Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov is in Congo-Brazzaville as part of efforts by Moscow to reinforce relations in Africa amid Western backlash over the invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Lavrov is expected to hold talks with President Denis Sasou-Nguesso on the effects of the war on food supplies as Africa experiences severe shortages and spiralling cost of living, Journal de Brazza website reported.

Mr Lavrov will later head to Uganda for talks with President Yoweri Museveni.

The Ugandan presidency said in a statement on Sunday that the two leaders would discuss bilateral cooperation. Uganda also reiterated praise for historic relations between the Soviet Union and Africa.

The Russian envoy will later visit Ethiopia ahead of plans to host the second Russia-Africa summit in Addis Ababa, tentatively between October and November.

Russia has ramped up its media activities in Africa to sway opinion over its invasion of Ukraine.

Under pressure from Western sanctions and critical coverage, Russia has gone into diplomatic overdrive in Africa.

Read more:

• How Russia has outflanked Ukraine in Africa

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

Tunisians are voting in a referendum on a controversial new constitution which would entrench significant new powers seized by the president, Kais Saied.

He dismissed parliament a year ago and has been ruling largely by decree.

The proposed constitution would formalise this, subordinating parliament to the president and removing most checks on his authority.

Mr Saied and his supporters say the changes are needed to end political factionalism and corruption.

But critics say the reforms would end the relatively open democracy brought in after the popular uprising of 2011 which drove the autocratic former president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, from power.

Read more on this story:

• Tunisia vote marks a death of a dream for some Arab Spring protesters