BBC World Service

The United Nations says that 22 million people in the Horn of Africa are at risk of starvation - a rise of nine million since the start of the year.

The World Food Programme says the failure of four consecutive rainy seasons has pushed populations in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia to the brink of famine.

More than a million people have left their homes in search of food and water.

The WHO says the world must act now to prevent catastrophic hunger.

An appeal for funds in January has faltered, with the war in Ukraine diverting donations and preventing normal grain shipments.

Tamara Ebiwei
BBC News Pidgin

In an exclusive interview with BBC Pidgin, well-known actress Tonto Dikeh, who is vying for the office of deputy governor in her home area, Rivers State, in the 2023 elections, said it was not easy to go from being a celebrity to a politician.

Several entertainers have recently announced they were running for political office in the forthcoming elections, including Funke Akindele, a Nollywood actress and Banky W, a musician and actor.

"First of all I would like to commend all of them, it’s not easy to be where they are, it’s not easy to put yourself out there," she said.

"I would say congratulations for coming this far," she continued.

Dikeh, 37, said her desire to enter politics was born out of a belief that the younger generation of Nigerians must lead on the change they want to see.

"The youths are now understanding their value, they are now understanding that if we don’t speak out, things won’t change. Nobody wants to be quiet any more, nobody wants to suffer any more. That has propelled a lot of well-meaning youths.”

She also said people should not expect her to act in films anytime soon.

"I have done a couple of films over the years, like two films in 10 years so you can’t really say I am still in the industry."

She added that if she got into power she would like to support the acting industry, but she "won't act any more".

Dikeh has starred in dozens of films and has also veered into music.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, AFP

A major disagreement has erupted as police in Nigeria say they are continuing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the presence of 20 mummified bodies in a house suspected of hosting a voodoo shrine in southern Nigeria’s Edo state.

A group which identifies itself as a civil society organisation has issued a statement in Benin City criticising the police for misleading the public.

The building where the mummified corpses were found was not a ritualists’ den but a newly built morgue to house evacuated corpses from an old facility, the group said.

Police spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor told the BBC that a police medical team was currently on the case.

He said that the man who owns the alleged shrine was on the run and that civil society groups were not medical doctors, who should determine whether mummified bodies kept in a suspected shrine house were actually in a mortuary.

It is not immediately clear how long the bodies had been in the house but the police say armed officers and local vigilantes raided the building, about 3 miles (5km) from the city centre, after getting information of suspicious activities in the location.

Three suspects were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the discovery of the bodies, which included 15 male corpses, three female corpses and two children.

The report has shocked residents, with many in the area saying they were horrified at the discovery. Some are asking how the bodies could have been hidden away without neighbours noticing.

Charles Gitonga
BBC News

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Ethiopian authorities have put eight state-owned sugar milling companies up for sale to private investors.

In a statement by the Ministry of Finance, the government says the sale will enable those companies to meet local demand for sugar and cut imports.

The Horn of Africa nation produces 1.35 million tonnes of sugar annually, which meets about 60% of local demand.

With privatisation, the government hopes to reduce its reliance on imports at a time when the country has suffered a foreign currency crisis.

Data from United Nations Comtrade shows the country spent $347 million (£293 million) on sugar imports in 2020.

A bid to sell national telecommunications company, Ethiotelecom, was abruptly called off in March, with the government citing an "unfavourable global and local economic environment".

Cardiff City defender Jamilu Collins is to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury sustained at West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday.

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Khaby Lame, the most followed TikTok star in the world, has been granted Italian citizenship at the age of 22, despite having lived in the country since he was a young child.

Senegal-born Lame, who has more than 148 million followers and was raised near Turin, is known for making funny mute videos.

Lame, who still has a Senegalese passport, told the press that he was “very proud” of his new citizenship and felt "a great responsibility" for the oaths he has taken, according to the Guardian newspaper., external

In the citizenship ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, Lame said he had always felt Italian: "Very little has changed,"the Euro News site quotes him as saying., external

You can find out more about his life here.

Lebo Diseko
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, Getty Images

The owner of a bar in South Africa where 21 young people died in mysterious circumstances has appeared in court for the first time.

Siyakhangela Ngevu is charged with contravening the liquor act by selling alcohol to minors.

The group of mainly teenagers died at Enyobeni Tavern in the Eastern Cape last month.

It is thought they had been celebrating the end of their exams, with the youngest aged just 13.

Mr Ngevu did not enter a plea at this initial court hearing, and the matter has been postponed until 2 September.

He has previously said he was not at the tavern on the night of the tragedy, when more than 20 young people collapsed and died.

While carbon monoxide and alcohol have been ruled out as a cause of death, the case has raised questions about underage drinking in South Africa - a country with high levels of binge drinking.

Some parents say they are angry that authorities have not yet established what killed their children or released the full results of forensics tests.

The government now says it will give them the results by the end of August.

Read more:

• Youngest South Africa tavern victim was 13 - minister
• South Africa police try to unravel mystery of tavern deaths

Image source, AFP

Nigeria's Lagos state authorities have expanded their ban on motorcycle taxis, locally known as okadas, to a further four local government areas and local council development areas.

The commissioner for transportation, Frederic Oladeinde, said the expansion of the ban was for security reasons and the best interests of the people.

The additional four local government areas where the ban will now apply include: Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Shomolu and Mushing.

Back in June, Lagos authorities crushed 2,000 confiscated motorcycle taxis following the first roll-out of the ban.

It was imposed after the lynching of a man by suspected riders in May, which sparked outrage.

Sunday David, a 38-year-old sound engineer, was killed in the upmarket Lekki neighbourhood after a disagreement over fares.

His death sparked outrage and forced authorities to act.

Read more: Lagos okadas: Nigeria crushes 2,000 motorcycle taxis

It comes after a court hears ministers were told about the country's human rights record.

Image source, Getty Images

Nigerian singer BNXN, pronounced Benson, has commented amid the controversy that he allegedly spat at a police officer.

BNXN, whose real name is Daniel Benson, boasted on Twitter about spitting on a police officer's face, in a now deleted tweet.

A spokesman of Lagos state police said the star "will surely answer for his assault on a police officer".

However BNXN is now rowing back on his comments, saying he never spat on any officer's face at all and people should not take his previous comments seriously or literally.

"My since deleted tweet stating that I spat in a police officers face was an idiomatic expression to say I disrespected a police officer to his face and not the literal way people may have taken it on social media. I do not support violence or abuse against the police in any form," he tweeted., external

"I was in a life threatening situation which caused me to lash out due to the physical assault on me by some policemen who have now been brought to book," he continued.

He also went on to thank "reputable" police officers for their intervention.

Patience Atuhaire
BBC News, Kampala

Police in Uganda have recovered the body of a UK national who drowned in the River Nile on Wednesday.

Robert Kaweesi, 48, from Birmingham, was with his wife, Justine Katantazi, and their four children and staying in a lodge on the banks of the river in Pakwach.

His 12-year-old son went swimming in the river but when he got into trouble, his father jumped in to help.

The boy was rescued by bystanders but Mr Kaweesi was missing, police previously said.

His body was found on Friday morning following a search by police divers and local volunteers.

A regional police commander told the BBC that a post-mortem will be carried out before the body is handed over to the family.

Mr Kaweesi, a UK citizen originally from Uganda, and his long-term partner Justine Katantazi had married in Uganda in early August.

Ms Katantazi described him as a jolly man and her best friend.

The UK foreign ministry said it was supporting the family and was in contact with local authorities.

Newly-wed Robert Kaweesi, from Birmingham, has been missing in Uganda since Wednesday.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

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UN peacekeeping forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco) have left the eastern town of Butembo following last month's deadly protests over their perceived failure to end rebel violence, a government official has said.

"Monusco has already left. As for the equipment still in the city, we are going to meet in Goma with those in charge of the mission to see how to transfer it, as well as the few personnel remaining in Butembo," said the governor of North Kivu province, Gen Constant Kongba Ndima.

He said the movement of the UN mission's personnel and equipment would be supervised by Congolese security services.

A Monusco spokesperson, Ndeye Khady Lo, said that the "mission has proceeded to a temporary redeployment, external of its personnel outside Butembo... after consultations with local and national authorities".

Demonstrations against the peacekeeping mission were held in North Kivu at the end of July. The protesters demanded that the troops leave the country.

The Congolese government said 36 people were killed and 170 others were injured in the demonstrations.

Nichola Mandil
BBC News, Juba

Image source, AFP

The UN says South Sudan continues to be the "most violent context" for aid workers in the world followed by Afghanistan and Syria.

Five aid workers have been killed in the line of duty since the beginning of this year

It has prompted the UN humanitarian co-ordinator in South Sudan, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, to call for joint action to address the humanitarian crisis and an immediate end to attacks against civilians and aid workers.

She made the call in the capital, Juba, on the eve of World Humanitarian Day, which is celebrated annually on 19 August.

Across South Sudan, aid workers and mostly nationals continue to be affected by armed violence, bureaucratic impediments and targeted violence, the UN says.

“It takes a village to raise a child. In the same way, it takes an array of partners to support crisis-affected people. We need urgent collective efforts to help the vulnerable population in South Sudan,” said Ms Nyanti.

She added: "All armed factions must immediately cease targeting civilians, humanitarian personnel and their assets. Impunity must end.”

Image source, Getty Images

South Africa's Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was on Thursday contacted by police over a complaint of sexual assault made against him, he is quoted as confirming to local media.

The assault complaint was made by a woman employed at a hotel where the minister stayed with his wife in the eastern Mpumalanga province earlier this month.

Mr Godongwana denies any wrongdoing.

Police on Thursday informed the minister of the complaint against him.

“I am relieved to have finally been contacted by the police and given the opportunity to hear what I am being accused of. I am also glad to have the opportunity to place my denial on record. I take the allegations very seriously,” the minister is quoted as saying.

He also ruled out resigning as finance minister.

BBC World Service

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A court in New York has sentenced a Ugandan resident to more than five years in prison for conspiring to traffic millions of dollars worth of rhino horns and elephant ivory.

Moazu Kromah was extradited from Uganda to the US three years ago.

He pleaded guilty in March to being part of a gang which transported nearly 200kg (441lb) of rhino horns and 10 tonnes of elephant ivory worth more than $7m (£5.8m).

The items came from East Africa and were destined for buyers in the US and south-east Asia, where rhino horn is much sought.

Richard Kagoe
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Getty

The UK's Minister for Africa has issued a damning warning that the Horn of Africa is suffering it’s worst drought in decades with millions suffering its impact.

“It’s beyond imagination,” says the minister, Vicky Ford.

More than seven million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

This has led to mass displacements as people trek for hundreds of kilometres in a desperate search for food and water.

Four consecutive failed rainy seasons, armed conflict, rising food costs and the impact of Covid-19 are fuelling this enormous humanitarian crisis.

The UK minister is now calling for partners and international donors to act urgently to prevent a large-scale loss of life.

In Somalia alone, more than 380,000 children are considered severely malnourished and at risk of dying before the end of the year, according to Ms Ford.

The UK government has committed to spend £150m ($178m) this year in humanitarian assistance in the Horn of Africa region. So far, £76m have been spent.

Somalia is the worst affected country but millions more in southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya are also suffering because of the drought.

You may be interested in:

• Somalia drought: 'Act now or 350000 children will die'
• East Africa drought: 'The suffering here has no equal'
• Why Africa couldn't get urgent global deal on drought

Thomas Naadi
BBC News, Freetown

Image source, Reuters

Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio says the nature of last week's protests against his government caught the police force by surprise.

The protests resulted in 25 deaths including five police officers.

"We have had challenges with the police force. But we know the nature of the protests definitely took them by surprise," he said.

"We all knew they [protesters] wanted to come out, but we did not have an identifiable group or person leading them," he added.

President Bio again blamed the opposition for trying to topple his government, an accusation the opposition All People's Congress party has denied.

He said a forensic and independent investigation was being conducted to unravel the truth.

"It's a forensic investigation. There are footprints, there are people who incited, who called on the people to go out to kill. There were people inciting the military and telling them to come to State House," he said.

President Bio also defended a reshuffle in the military leadership following the protests, and denied threats of a military takeover.

"Heads of security institutions can be removed for different reasons. It's my right when I think its right."

BBC World Service

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Firefighters in Algeria say they have brought under control the wildfires that have killed at least 37 people, including five members of the same family.

A spokesman said 16 blazes were still being tackled but those in the worst-affected areas - the eastern Al-Tarf region near the border with Tunisia - were no longer a threat.

Locals complain that the government continues to be ill-prepared for the summer wildfires which are becoming more common.

At least 90 people were killed in blazes last year.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, AFP

Police in southern Nigeria have arrested three people following the discovery of 20 mummified bodies near Benin city in Edo state.

The corpses were found in a building suspected to be used for a voodoo shrine.

A police spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, told the BBC that the corpses of 15 men, three women and two children were discovered.

It is not clear how long they had been there.

He added that armed police officers and local vigilantes had raided the building just outside the city following a tip-off.

The police suspect the bodies had been brought in from a morgue as they still had identification tags on them.

Mr Nwabuzor said a suspect arrested at the scene where the bodies were found said that the owner of the place - who is now at large - was a former mortician at a hospital.

The discovery has shocked the country and residents in the area say they were horrified.

Many are asking how the bodies could have been hidden there without neighbours noticing any suspicious activities.