Image source, Getty Images

At least 26 people have been killed and dozens more injured in forest fires that have devastated northern Algeria.

Kamel Beldjoud, the country's interior minister, said 24 died in El Tarf, near the border with Tunisia, as well as a mother and daughter in Setif.

Firefighters, supported by helicopters, were still trying to contain several blazes on Wednesday evening.

Reports say some 350 residents have been evacuated in various provinces.

Helicopters are being used to dump water on the flames.

Algeria suffers from wildfires every year, but the problem has been exacerbated by climate change.

A Russian water bomber plane chartered by the Algerian authorities has broken down and is not expected to be in service again until Saturday.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, AFP

Workers in Nigeria's electricity sector have shut down the national grid as part of a strike they called over pay, causing a nationwide blackout.

Their union said it wanted to compel the government to honour an agreement from 2019 to pay former employees of a state-owned electricity company.

The union reportedly suspended the strike later on Wednesday after a meeting with the government.

"A committee chaired by the Minister of State for Power has been set up to work out modalities on resolution of the issues. Power would be restored either this night or tomorrow in the morning," the Reuters news agency quoted the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) general secretary Joe Ajaero as saying.

The workers earlier held a protest on Tuesday accusing the government of failing to address staff welfare issues.

The ministry of power, which is in charge of electricity, had asked to be given two weeks to resolve the outstanding issues.

Frequent power cuts due to the unreliable national grid have forced many Nigerians to rely on their own generators to produce electricity for their homes and businesses.

Our proverb of the day:

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Is this the companion to an asteroid that hit Earth 66 million years ago wiping out the dinosaurs?

The High Court says some of the advice given to ministers must be disclosed as part of a major case.

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team until Thursday morning, but in the meantime you can keep up with the latest stories on the BBC News website.

Plus you can listen to the Africa Today podcast.

Here's a reminder of our wise words of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this photo of an Orthodox Ethiopian man in Addis Ababa holding a bundle of sticks ahead of the holy Buhe Feast which commemorates Jesus Christ's transfiguration in the Christian tradition.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, AFP

Nigeria's former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Dambazau, has released a stark warning that insecurity is a major threat to Nigeria's presidential election next year.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday he said "terrorists would likely continue attacks on soft targets" and demanded proper security must be put in place to protect people.

"The security threats against the 2023 elections are not limited to the activities of terror groups in the north but also the prescribed (separatist movement) Ipob in the south-east," he continued.

However, Ipob has previously denied any connection with violence it has been accused of.

Nigeria is facing a growing security crisis from armed bandits who carry out kidnapping for ransom, as well as growing separatism sentiment in the south-eastern region of the country.

Just a few weeks ago, the capital, Abuja, was rocked after all schools were forced to close because of security threats from various armed groups.

The frontrunners in Nigeria's upcoming elections are ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Tinubu and opposition candidate for the People's Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar.

Read more:

• Nigerian outrage at brazen bandit attacks
• Ipob: Nigerian 'media warriors' call for killings on social media over Biafra

After being sworn in as Liberia's President in 2018, former international George Weah is yet to revive the country's footballing fortunes.

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

The authorities in Sudan have said that the number of dead due to flash floods in several parts of the country has risen to 77.

A spokesman for the emergency services, Brigadier Abd al-Jaleel Abd-al-Haleem, told BBC Arabic that thousands of homes have been completely destroyed, with the River Nile and al-Jazirah states worst affected.

Thousands of square kilometres of arable land are under water.

The local administrations are providing tents and food, but have appealed to the Khartoum government and international organisations for aid to prevent water-borne diseases.

Umaru Fofana
BBC Africa, Freetown

Survivors of a devastating mudslide in Sierra Leone,which left more than 1,000 people dead, have gathered for a commemorative event, as torrential rainfall has been battering the country’s capital, Freetown, leaving many homes submerged in water and cars stuck on the road.

There have been no casualties so far, but authorities have issued a warning to those living in low-lying areas.

The 2017 mudslide, which is still a trauma for many, buried its victims alive – many of whom were sleeping at the time.

One survivor, Mariama Sawanneh, told the BBC she has struggled to make ends meet since the incident.

“The house went, my husband went, my nephew went. I was left with our four children,” Ms Sawenneh said.

“We live on vegetable gardening – from hand to mouth. Someone felt sorry for us and gave us a tin shack where we sleep. My children and I need help,” she continued.

One of those present at the commemorative event was five-year-old Moses Thullah, who was one month old at the time of the tragedy.

The water tossed him around, leaving him floating in a neighbouring house where he was miraculously found alive – several hours later. However, his father did not survive.

The mudslide followed a torrential downpour of rain, much like that of today, but it also came amid the unregulated construction of houses.

Emotions are still high, years later, with a religious leader crying at a commemorative event on Wednesday.

Many still feel lessons have not been learnt and doubt the capacity of the newly established national disaster agency, to deal with any major incident amid warnings of further downpours.

Image source, Reuters

The head of Kenya's electoral body - the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) - has accused the four commissioners who have not endorsed the presidential election result of trying to subvert the constitution.

Wafula Chebukati has, in a statement, described how he saw events behind the scenes on Monday when the planned announcement of the results was delayed by several hours.

He said that the four commissioners, who later went on to distance themselves from the outcome, "demanded that the chairperson moderates the results for [the] purpose of forcing an election re-run contrary to their oath of office.

"This is tantamount to subverting the Constitution and the sovereign will of the people of Kenya."

Mr Chebukati defended his action of going on to announce that William Ruto had won, despite objections, saying that he was acting within the law.

The four commissioners said that they had questions over the accuracy of the tally and were not given a chance to verify the results.

The maths they used to justify their reasons has been brought into question.

Mr Ruto's main rival - Raila Odinga - has refused to accept the result and has indicated that he will mount a legal challenge. One argument is that Mr Chebukati did not have the right to make the announcement.

This may be one issue that the judges of the Supreme Court will have to rule on.

Read more:

• Kenya results day as it happened

Kalkidan Yibeltal
BBC News, Addis Ababa

A committee set up by the Ethiopian government to negotiate with Tigrayan forces in an effort to end the civil war said it is working with the African Union (AU) to ensure peace talks begin quickly.

A venue and the time for the talks will be set, the group said.

Preparations are under way to “create conditions that will enable a ceasefire to be declared” and basic services are restored in conflict-affected areas, the committee said in a statement on Wednesday.

A document detailing recommendations is prepared and will be submitted to the AU’s representative, the statement added

Most of Tigray has been without basic services such as electricity, banking and the internet for more than a year.

A humanitarian truce was agreed in March and the amount of aid reaching Tigray appears to have shown a steady increase since - however no cessation of hostilities has been declared.

While the federal government said it will accept negotiations under the auspices of the AU, Tigrayan forces have favoured outgoing Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to lead the talks.

Tigrayan forces have not responded to the committee’s latest remarks.

Members of the committee have also briefed diplomats on the expected talks in Addis Ababa.

Lebo Diseko
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, AFP

South African opposition parties say they will apply for a motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa over allegations of kidnapping and money laundering.

The claims were made by the country’s former spy chief, Arthur Fraser, who alleged that the president had covered up the theft of around $4m (£3.3m) at his Phala Phala farm in 2020.

Mr Fraser also claimed the suspects were unlawfully pursued and detained.

Mr Ramaphosa, who came to power promising straight dealing and to clean up corruption, denies any wrongdoing.

Now the so-called "farm-gate" scandal threatens his presidency, as opposition leaders tell journalists he should answer to parliament.

They also want a secret ballot, which would allow members of the ruling ANC to vote against their leader more easily.

However the largest opposition party - the Democratic Alliance - has declined to take part, saying it would undermine an existing process looking at whether or not to impeach Mr Ramphosa.

Without them, and crucially votes from the ANC, any such effort is unlikely to succeed.

The robbery and its alleged aftermath were first brought to light in June, when Mr Fraser, seen as a close ally of former president Jacob Zuma, opened a case with police.

Read more:

• South Africa's clean President Ramaphosa faces his own scandal
• South Africa's Zondo commission: Damning report exposes rampant corruption

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Reuters

A court in Spain has ruled that the body of the former Angolan president, José Eduardo dos Santos, be released to his widow and returned home for burial.

He had been unwell for some years and died in Barcelona last month aged 79.

Since then there has been a dispute within the Dos Santos family.

His daughter, Tchizé dos Santos, wants a family burial in Spain.

His widow prefers a state funeral in Angola - an event which could influence the country's imminent elections.

A lawyer said Tchizé dos Santos would appeal against the decision that was made by a family court in Barcelona.

Read more on José Eduardo dos Santos:

• Angola’s José Eduardo dos Santos: The flawed 'architect of peace'
• From Dos Santos to Mugabe - the burial disputes over ex-leaders

A team of Ethiopian software engineers has created a virtual reality experience of the Battle of Adwa.

Image source, EFF/Twitter

A fifth person has been arrested in connection with the high-profile killing of the daughter of South Africa's former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) secretary-general Gordrich Gardee.

A police spokesperson said the suspect had been charged with "defeating the ends of justice".

"We are not going to leave any stone unturned and all the people or all the suspects who have been involved in this particular case are going to be arrested", Brigadier Selvy Mohlala is quoted as saying in South Africa's eNCA news website. , external

The dead body of the politician's daughter, Hillary Gardee, was found in May in Mpumalanga province.

She went missing a few days earlier, after having gone shopping at a supermarket.

The 28 year old's death devastated the Gardee family, according to the EFF. They were "distraught and the collective leadership of the EFF at a loss for words”.

Ms Gardee left behind a three-year-old child.

Peter Mwai
BBC Reality Check

Online supporters of Kenya’s former prime minister Raila Odinga have been incorrectly questioning results of the presidential election announced on Monday saying total votes were lower than the official turnout.

William Ruto was declared the winner, but Mr Odinga has challenged the outcome.

The main argument by Odinga supporters is that the national electoral commission chair, Wafula Chebukati, had announced the turnout was 65.4%, according to the electronic voter identification kits.

They then calculate backwards using the total number of registered voters, to say 14.4m voters must have cast their ballots on Tuesday last week.

The total number of valid votes, according to the final announcement, was 14.2m and when you add the rejected votes, you would get 14.3 million ballots having been cast.

“Before even we add those who voted manually, you are short 140,028 votes. Where are these votes + [plus] manual register voters?” asks one of the supporters on Twitter.

It is true that Mr Chebukati did mention a voter turnout of 65.4% during a media briefing on Wednesday last week but he did correct himself soon after saying the turnout was 64.6%., external

“Of course this figure will go up once we get the data of those who voted manually,” he said.

The results announced on Monday this week show the voter turnout was eventually 64.8%.

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

The governor of Egypt's central bank, Tarek Amer, has resigned more than a year before the end of his second term in office.

The move - which triggered a sell-off of government bonds - comes one day before the monetary policy committee is expected to raise interest rates.

Inflation stands at nearly 15%, three times what it was only a year ago.

Mr Amer said he was stepping down to give others the opportunity to continue the successful development under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who accepted his resignation.

Roncliffe Odit
BBC Nairobi, Migori, western Kenya

Things are back to normal in Migori, western Kenya, which was one of the areas that experienced violent protests after the head of the electoral commission declared on Monday that William Ruto was the president-elect.

It is a stronghold of his rival, Raila Odinga, who has rejected the outcome of last week's election.

We found Jeffers Omondi, 24, getting ready to sell coffee at the roadside.

He said he is enjoying the tranquillity that followed the violence earlier in the week. He added however that he supports the proposal by Mr Odinga to go to court, saying justice must be served.

Lillian Akinyi, 48, is a shoe vender.

She said business was good now that the protests had ended.

But unlike many Odinga supporters, she felt the objections should come to an end.

“Our children need to go back to school, and we want to continue with our businesses. Odinga should let this matter rest,” she said.

Kalkidan Yibeltal
BBC News, Addis Ababa

Image source, Getty Images

Thousands of ethnic Tigrayans who have been detained in camps in north-east Ethiopia since December are being transported back to their homes.

The UN is facilitating their return back to their homes near the border between the Afar and Tigray regions.

It said the operation would continue for a week.

The government in Addis Ababa said they had been taken to the camps for their own safety as the civil was spread.

But the state-run Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said they had been targeted because of their ethnicity and described the detention of around 9,000 Tigrayans as illegal.

Their return comes as hopes of peace talks to try to end the civil war appear imminent.