South Sudan — the world’s youngest nation — endured the longest civil war in Africa. Now, in their debut Olympic Games, its men’s basketball team is helping the country forge a new identity.

BBC Africa Sport journalist Kelvin Kimathi explains South Sudan’s meteoric rise in basketball -- and how the national team almost beat the United States in an exhibition match a week before the Olympics.

Luol Deng, a former NBA and Chicago Bulls star, is widely credited with revolutionising basketball in the country. He tells us about his work leading the South Sudan Basketball Federation, the potential he saw in his countrymen, and how he funded basketball programmes to create a pipeline of talent.

We also hear from Olympic team member Khaman Maluach, who grew up as a refugee in neighbouring Uganda. The 17-year-old explains how a chance encounter led him to basketball. Finally, basketball fans from South Sudan tell us about the pride they feel watching their player succeed internationally.

During the Opening Ceremony in Paris, which featured performances from Lady Gaga and Celine Dion, international commentators cited the men’s basketball team as South Sudan’s big hope in the Games. In their opening match, South Sudan defeated Puerto Rico 90-79. But their debut appearance wasn’t without hiccups. Players said they were "disrespected" after organisers played the wrong national anthem at the start of their match.

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African Games champion Cynthia Ogunsemilore is suspended at the Olympics after testing positive for a banned diuretic and masking agent.

South Sudan says it felt disrespected by the gaffe, which organisers said was a "human error".

The 12 people convicted were responsible for managing water resources and maintaining the dams.

The vessel was taking passengers across the Tekeze river, which runs along the border with Eritrea.

Police and organisers face questions after reports of overcrowding at one of Africa's biggest stadiums.

University of Brighton student Samm Hart is a late selection for the teams tour of South Africa.

Kenyan Martin Odhiambo cultivates medicinal plants and hopes that remedies can one day be regulated.

Tunisia’s Fares Ferjani misses out on becoming Africa’s first gold medallist at Paris 2024 after defeat in the final of the men’s individual sabre.

Charlotte Eastick and Alisha Knox say six weeks working in Tanzania was unforgettable.

Meselesh Gosaye's home area in Ethiopia was hit by two landslides that buried hundreds under the mud.

The police have denied opposition accusations that protesters were sexually abused in custody.

The 72-year-old South African was convicted for seven apartheid-era murders but was behind many more deaths.

Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon and Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay are among six African athletes to keep an eye on at Paris 2024.

The camp, situated on a farm, was raided and 95 Libyans have been taken into custody, police say.

A year on from the coup ousted President Mohamed Bazoum may face treason charges, his lawyers.

A year on since the military took power in Niger, the BBC looks at the changes the junta has overseen.

Thousands of athletes are bidding for medals at the Olympics, but how does it feel to miss out on appearing at Paris 2024?

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

In 1974, Ghana pioneered a new system which would help in the roll-out of the immunisation of serious diseases across Africa and the rest of the world. The World Health Organisation chose the country to trial its cold chain system, to help keep vaccines for often deadly diseases refrigerated. It would later evolve into the storage systems used to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Justice Baidoo meets Patience Azuma, who was one of the first children to benefit from the Enhanced Immunisation Programme in the 1970s and Dr Kofi Ahmed later a chief medical officer, who helped in the original cold storage system roll out.

A Made in Manchester Production for BBC World Service.

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: A man being vaccinated in Ghana. Credit: Junior Asiama / 500px)