BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, AFP

Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairman of the AU commission, has condemned Israeli airstrikes on sites in the Gaza Strip in which he said more than 30 Palestinian civilians, including six children, were killed.

The "targeting of civilians" was "in stark violation of international law" and the AU supports Palestinians "in their legitimate quest for an independent and sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital", Mr Mahamat said on Sunday.

Israel’s military however says it only attacked sites used by militant fighters.

The AU chief made the comments hours before Israel and Palestinian armed group Islamic Jihad signed a ceasefire, after three days of fighting in Gaza that killed at least 44 people, including more than a dozen children.

South Africa, where pro-Palestinian sentiment is strong, also condemned the violence., external

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

Suspected jihadists have one again attacked villages in gas-rich northern Mozambique, killing at least three people.

Local reports say they raided villages and torched homes in the districts of Muidumbe and Mocímboa da Praia in Cabo Delgado province over the weekend.

Many residents have been forced to flee and seek refuge in neighouring villages - just weeks after they had returned to their homesteads from previous attacks.

The attacks happened despite heavy deployment of government soldiers in the area who are backed by troops from Rwanda and the regional bloc Southern African Development Community (Sadc).

Former Olympian Patrick Sang coaches world record breakers such as Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon.

Lebo Diseko
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, AFP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor have both stressed the historic ties between their two countries, ahead of bi-lateral talks in Pretoria.

Mr Blinken and Ms Pandor also highlighted the importance of their co-operation in areas such as trade and investment, health and science.

But the elephant in the room was the war in Ukraine.

Relations between the two countries have been strained by their differing positions on Russia’s invasion: South Africa has remained neutral in the Ukraine war, refusing to join Western calls to condemn Moscow.

While neither mentioned it explicitly, Ms Pandor did state that the world is "going through an extraordinarily difficult period" - listing conflict as one of the challenges.

She also said that diplomatic efforts were necessary in order to resolve the conflict.

The foreign minister also acknowledged that she and Mr Blinken had had "very frank discussions where at times we don't agree - but it has not broken this friendship", she said. "In fact it has made it stronger."

Mr Blinken said he was "grateful" to Ms Pandor for helping him to "look at things in a different way", and called their current position an "ongoing conversation".

He is set to announce a new US strategy for Africa later on Monday, as the US tries to counter the influence of China and Russia on the continent.

DR Congo appoint Sebastien Desabre as the new coach of their national team after the Frenchman ended his contract at Chamois Niortais.

BBC World Service

Image source, Horniman Museum

Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments has welcomed a decision by British curators to return artefacts that were looted in the 19th Century, from what was then the Kingdom of Benin.

A legal adviser to the commission, Babatunde Adebiyi, told the BBC he hoped some of the 72 objects would be on display in Nigeria later this year.

On Sunday the Horniman Museum in London said it was both moral and appropriate to give the items back.

They include brass plaques, known as Benin bronzes, and a key to the king's palace.

Mr Adebiyi said agreements had also been reached with American museums and Glasgow City council for looted artefacts to be returned to Nigeria this year.

You may be interested in:

• Nigerian Ife head: Why UK police are holding a priceless sculpture
• The art dealer, the £10m Benin Bronze and the Holocaust
• Nigeria's Looty seeks to reclaim African art in digital form

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Reuters

Chad's military ruler, Mahamat Idriss Déby, has signed a peace deal with more than 40 opposition groups aimed at paving the way for a national dialogue later in August.

The agreement was signed in Doha after months of mediation by Qatar.

But the main rebel group, the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (or Fact), refused to sign the deal.

It had insisted Mr Déby excludes himself from elections.

He took over the leadership of the country last year after his father, Idriss Déby, died while on the front line fighting rebels.

Elections are due to take place in October.

You may also be interested in:

• Who is Mahamat Idriss Déby?
• Chad claims win over rebels after President Déby's death
• Chad declares emergency over food insecurity
• Sudan or Chad? Why a Darfur sultan regrets a twist of colonial fate

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, AFP

Travel companies in Kenya are seeing a surge in last-minute bookings and travels ahead of Tuesday’s landmark general elections.

A spot check by BBC in Western Kenya found hundreds of passengers trying to get home to their registered polling stations. In some areas, bus fares have almost doubled due to demand.

The western region is home to Kenya’s second most populous ethnic community and is seen as a swing region. It has a combined voter population of 2.6 million spread across five counties.

"Here in Bungoma we are all OK. We have seen a lot of travellers passing through here as they head to Busia town [on the border with Uganda] where they registered as voters," said travel agent Kennedy Ajimbi.

In Eldoret town, voters have also been verifying if they are on the final election register.

Eldoret in Kenya’s Rift valley is seen as the stronghold of Deputy President William Ruto who will on Tuesday be casting his vote in his hometown of Sugoi.

"Yes, we're going to have a free fair and transparent and credible process, the area’s electoral returning officer Irene Mutahi said.

Read more:

• Kenya election 2022: Charts that explain the nation
• Full coverage

Nichola Mandil
BBC News, Juba

A UN panel of experts on human rights in South Sudan has called for prosecution of high-profile government and military officials linked to sexual violence in the country.

“I would like to hope that there will be some high level prosecution soon and that will be part of the impact of our work,” said Andrew Clapham, one of three members of the panel.

Mr Clapham said the increase in sexual violence in South Sudan was fuelled by systemic impunity.

The panel conducted a four-day visit in the country last week and met senior government officials – including the justice minister, civil society representatives, UN agencies representatives and members of the diplomatic community.

The experts were making follow ups on recommendations in its report, external released earlier this year on widespread sexual violence against women and girls in the country.

The panel met women’s groups and some survivors of sexual violence that it had documented in its report.

“This visit was meant to plan civil society activity and also be able to pass our message to the government that there should be a zero tolerance policy for sexual violence in South Sudan,” Prof Clapham told the BBC in the capital, Juba.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

A spokesman for the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has ruled out talks with the Ethiopian government while people in the beleaguered northern Tigray region are, he says, "under blockade".

Getachew Red said on Twitter, external on Saturday that "it is not going to work!"

"The way I see it, the only precondition they are putting forward is that we join such a circus with our hands tied, our people starving and in the dark and with our entire population under blockade," he said.

The Ethiopian government has named a seven-member team for the talks which it wants held without pre-conditions.

The TPLF expressed readiness last month to hold peace talks with the government, but has since demanded that the federal government allow services such as communications, electricity and banking to the troubled region.

The rebels also want the government to accept that the Tigray state will have its own army.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, AFP

Four soldiers and two civilians have been killed in a militant attack in Mali's northern Gao region where French Barkhane forces are winding up operations, the Malian army (Fama) has said.

Five militants were also killed as Fama repelled the "complex and coordinated attack" on Tessit town on Sunday, the army said in a statement posted to social media.

The raid took place as Barkhane troops prepared to close their last helicopter hanger in Gao ahead of a final withdrawal from the Sahel nation at the end of August.

"The re-articulation outside the border of Mali continues," the French forces said in a brief statement on Twitter on Sunday.

Mali has severed defence co-operation with key regional and international stakeholders, and is involved in a standoff with UN peacekeepers, foreshadowing further deterioration in regional security.

This has been worsened by the deployment of Russia's Wagner mercenaries in the Sahel nation.

Their presence has triggered threats from al-Qaeda's Sahel branch to blockade the Malian capital Bamako and escalate attacks on the country's military rulers.

Related stories:

• How Mali's coups promised - and failed - to bring safety
• Mali troops and suspected Russian fighters accused of massacre
• Why coups don't spell democracy's end in Africa

Rhoda Odhiambo
BBC West Africa correspondent, Lagos

Image source, AFP

Boko Haram militant group leader Alhaji Modu, alias Bem Bem, was killed last week in an air strike, the Nigeria military announced on Sunday.

It said 28 militants were also killed in the airstrike carried out on 3 August in the north-western Borno State.

The BBC has not been able to independently verify the report.

Modu is alleged to have coordinated Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon from caves in the Mandara mountains.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert quoted by various local media, says Modu was an armed robber before becoming a Boko Haram commander.

The Nigerian government says that the military has recorded significant success in the fight against Islamist militants, including the voluntary surrender of thousands of militants in the north-east.

Read more:

• Nigeria's Boko Haram militants: Six reasons they have not been defeated

Lebo Diseko
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, AFP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken - who's in South Africa at the start of a three-nation African tour - will hold talks on Monday with his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor.

Mr Blinken is expected to announce a new strategy for Africa to boost American influence on the continent amid concerns that Washington is losing out to both China and Russia.

Relations have been strained in recent months as South Africa, a regional superpower, remained neutral in the Ukraine war.

Ms Pandor has accused the US of trying to punish African countries for refusing to join Western calls to condemn Moscow.

After South Africa, Mr Blinken will go to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

Rebels in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have killed at least 15 civilians and an army captain during attacks on villages over the weekend.

The Ituri region's military governor, Colonel Siro Simba, said rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) were thought to have targeted Kandoyi village on Friday night killing 10 people.

Another attack in nearby Bandiboli on Saturday left five people dead.

A woman who lost both her parents said their throats had been cut by the rebels.

A UN expert group says it has evidence that Rwandan troops have been fighting alongside one of the rebel groups known as M23.

The Kigali government has denied the accusation.

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Paying for political influence on social media in Kenya is a shadowy yet lucrative business.

The Economic Freedom Fighters' leader says the uprising in the country will be like the Arab Spring.

Tunisian President Kais Saied has drafted a new constitution for Tunisia that gives him new sweeping powers, including authority over the judiciary and immunity for life from prosecution.

Tunisia was a beacon of hope for democracy after the Arab Spring. The country rid itself of dictator Ben Ali after 24 years of rule and moved to a more democratic system.

Now the country seems to be sliding back towards the one man rule that it has known for generations.

This week on The Inquiry we are asking why Tunisia has turned its back on democracy.

Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researchers: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty and Christopher Blake Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Tara McDermott

(Tunisian presidential Kais Saied in Tunis. BBC Images)

Travelling from Lusaka to the Gwembe Valley and then on to Kabwe, Kema Sikazwe hears from people living in communities where artefacts were taken.

In the shadow of the Kariba Dam, Kema meets people who were forced from their land when the valley was flooded who explain how promises made at the time have not been kept.

Finally, at the lead-mining site where the Broken Hill Skull was discovered in Kabwe 1921, Kema meets former workers who describe how their homes remain contaminated, more than 25 years on, the UN estimates they are among 300,000 people living on toxic ground.

Producer: Andy Jones and Will Sadler A Radio Film production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Kema Sikawaze stands next to the Broken Hill man skull. Credit: Radio Film)

Returning to Zambia for the first time since he was three years old, Kema Sikazwe continues his journey exploring the impact of colonial legacies through museum collections.

Since 1972, Zambians have campaigned to reclaim the ‘Broken Hill Skull’ from Britain. Kema learns what has led to the current stalemate, as the repatriation movement gathers pace.

Kema also meets Zambian creatives who are fabricating their own interpretations of history with ‘digital repatriation’ initiatives, creating new artefacts in response to stories inspired by 3D scans and photographs.

(Photo: Kema Sikazwe holds up a matchbox designed using motifs inspired by Zambian objects taken from the country. Credit: Radio Film)