Laila Soueif tells the BBC she believes she has "no other choice" to secure the release of her son Alaa Abdel Fattah from an Egyptian jail.

Nigeria accounts for 29% of global maternal deaths - a lack of medics and poor facilities are partly to blame.

The army says it defended its post "vigorously" but eventually withdrew, as militants seized on their base.

The Microsoft founder urges young innovators to use Artificial Intelligence to improve health services.

As part of the deal, the UK will secure lucrative investment projects in the 2030 World Cup.

Kano State declares Monday as a day of mourning after 22 people died a road accident while returning from a sports festival in south-west Nigeria.

US President Donald Trump says a genocide is taking place in South Africa, a claim a judge dismissed as "imaginary".

About 500 people are still missing in the town of Mokwa, and officials fear no more survivors will be found.

Residents of a Nigeria town tell the BBC they are homeless and penniless after devastating floods.

Rose Njeri developed a tool to help people oppose the government's finance bill.

The law allows for land to be seized without compensation in rare cases and 'in the public interest'.

South Africa’s first feature film aimed at black audiences was released in 1949, launching Dolly Rathebe’s career.

The actress and jazz musician was discovered by chance by two British film makers and with no previous acting experience, she was cast in Jim Comes to Jo’burg, also known as African Jim.

She played Judy, a glamourous nightclub singer. Soon she was gracing magazine covers and proclaimed Africa’s first black female movie star.

Reena Stanton-Sharma listens back to an archive interview of Dolly Rathebe speaking to film maker Peter Davis from Villon Films.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Dolly Rathebe. Credit: Jurgen Schadeberg from The Schadeberg Collection)

Former England bowler Stuart Broad will work with South Africa in the build-up to the World Test Championship final against Australia.

Pyramids win their first ever African Champions League title after beating Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in Cairo to seal a 3-2 win on aggregate.

Pet owners are struggling with the rising cost of living in the West African nation.

Emergency services warn the number of victims may rise as recovery and rescue operations continue.

'Please stop killing women,' urges the police minister as the search continues for two more suspects.

Torrential rains in the central town of Mokwa led to the deadly floods, authorities say.

Laila Soueif, the mother of British-Egyptian Alaa Abdel Fattah, is being treated at a London hospital for dangerously low blood sugar.

A selection of the week's best photos from across the African continent and beyond.