Elettra Neysmith
BBC World Service News

A group of refugees from Australia's offshore processing centre in Nauru has arrived in New Zealand - nine years after the government there first offered to take them.

The six men, from Sudan, Cameroon and four Rohingya from Myanmar, had each been held on Nauru for more than eight years.

They're the first refugees to arrive as part of the resettlement deal, under which New Zealand will take 450 migrants from Australia's offshore centres over three years.

Australia introduced its policy of denying resettlement visas to all asylum seekers arriving by boat was introduced in 2013.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News

President Muhammadu Buhari has officially kicked off the historic drilling of crude oil in Nigeria’s north-east on Tuesday, supervising the first oil extraction in commercial quantities in Bauchi and Gombe states.

"The successful discovery of the Kolmani oil and gas field has finally broken the jinx record by the confirmation of huge commercial deposits of hydrocarbons in Kolmani River fields," the president told an elated gathering of oil company officials and community leaders.

The Kolmani oil wells are expected to have an estimated one billion barrels of crude oil reserve, a development that could make Nigeria earn nearly $73bn (£61bn) over a period of 10 years.

Officials have put Nigerian’s crude oil reserves at 37 billion barrels. With an additional one billion barrels and a likelihood of some gas reserves from the Kolmani fields, the country expects to see a boost in its oil and gas production.

Thomas Naadi
BBC News

UK troops withdrawing from Mali will head straight home rather than being redeployed to Burkina Faso and Ghana, a UK government minister has told the BBC.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey says the UK's strategy for combatting violent extremism is now changing and moving towards providing combat training, intelligence and logistical support to West African countries.

Regional solutions to regional problems are his priority, he says, drawing from the lessons of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Mr Heappey has been attending a regional summit of heads of state of West African coastal countries aimed at confronting violent extremism in the region.

Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast are facing increasing threats from jihadists operating in the Sahel.

Regional leaders and their international partners are working on new strategies to stop the spread of violent extremism.

This comes after more countries announced a pull-out of international peacekeeping forces from Mali.

Image source, AFP

A total of $68m (£57m) was effectively stolen from the Cameroonian people over the course of 2021, according to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

It says that was more than double the amount taken the previous year, excluding the estimated $281,000 embezzled from coronavirus funds.

The parliamentary group has been calculating the financial damage of corruption in the country, by collecting testimony on instances of forged signatures, bogus land titles, bribes to enter top universities - and even extorting money from patients in some public hospitals, French-language broadcaster RFI reports, external.

As a result some 500 people have reportedly been sacked from their posts and 37 people jailed, following the commission's findings.

Earlier this year, the Anglo-Swiss mining giant Glencore pleaded guilty to acts of corruption in Cameroon and other countries.

RFI says the anti-corruption commission's president did not refer to Glencore, Cameroon's National Hydrocarbons Company or the National Refining Company (Sonara) by name when announcing the report's findings on Monday.

But he mentioned "allegations of corruption involving a multinational operating in the extractive industries sector and officials of some of our public enterprises" which were "treated according to the same operating mode as all the others".

A "trashion" show in Lagos raises awareness about the widespread plastic pollution issue in Nigeria.

Image source, AFP

South Africa's President Cyril Rampahosa has been enjoying the first official state visit hosted by Britain's new monarch, King Charles III, in London.

President Ramaphosa was escorted to the Horse Guards' Parade for a ceremonial welcome with the King and Camilla, the Queen Consort, by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Image source, AFP

President Ramaphosa touched down in South Africa's official state jet at Stansted Airport hours earlier, where he was welcomed by a royal guard of honour for his two-day trip.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, AFP

The president appeared to be on warm terms with King Charles and the Queen Consort, sharing smiles as they prepared to depart for Buckingham Palace.

Image source, AFP

Image source, AFP

Ramaphosa enjoyed a private audience with King Charles as they toured the Horse Guards Parade, before entering Buckingham Palace for more photos and an official portrait with the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Ramaphosa, who has been head of government in South Africa since 2018, will follow the tradition of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, and then address MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery of the Palace of Westminster.

Later, the King will host a white-tie banquet at Buckingham Palace for Mr Ramaphosa where both men will give speeches.

Image source, AFP

Image source, AFP

His visit comes at a time when Mr Ramaphosa is facing criticism over South African unemployment levels, and a return to power outages affecting South Africans every day for a number of hours at a time.

This month he also said he would "step aside" if charged over an alleged cover-up of a robbery at his private farm, which he denies.

Jonathan Paye-Layleh
BBC News, Monrovia

Image source, Reuters

Tim Weah, the American-born son of world class footballer-turned Liberian President George Weah, hit the headlines on Monday after scoring in a match at the World Cup in Qatar.

Weah junior's presence on the US team and his goal for his side against Wales has got Liberians commenting on social media referencing his father's home roots of the football-loving south-eastern Kru ethnic group of Liberia.

“The first Kru man to play and score in the World Cup! Tim Tarpeh Weah,” exclaimed Winston Monboe, a former stringer for Voice of America who is himself Kru.

Abraham Darius Dillion, an outspoken opposition senator from the Liberty Party, said on a morning radio programme on Tuesday that this is one time where the phrase, “Like father, like son”, can apply. “I give this one to George Weah.”

Opposition presidential candidate and critic of President Weah, Alexander Cummings, congratulated the younger Weah on his “impressive goal”.

Lewis Konoe who works for the government's fishing agency says he was among “millions in the world that shouted so loudly when he [Weah] scored... Liberia is proud and the world is watching.

But others feel the performance of the Liberian-American soccer player does not add anything to Liberia as a country where the cost of living is currently extremely high.

Charles Roberts said sarcastically that President Weah is likely to include his son’s goal “as an achievement in his state of the nation [address] next year”.

The president has himself been roundly criticised for leaving Liberia for at least three weeks of activities overseas, including watching his son play in Qatar.

He’s away at a time of a rice crisis and low morale in work places due to delays in salary payments.

But the president’s communication team travelling with him has always rebutted this criticism, saying his stay away has gained “a lot of dividends” for the country.

Image source, AFP

Reports from Chad say around 10 soldiers have been killed in an attack by Islamist militants.

The attack took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning at an army post near Ngouboua in the Lake Chad area - a marshy region shared by Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Nigeria.

It has been subject to many attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State group.

Chad has been rocked by political turmoil, and severe drought caused by climate change is having a disastrous effect on livelihoods in the Sahel nation.

Last week, the UN said 500 people had been killed in inter-communal violence since the start of the year, external - mainly in disputes between agricultural farmers and nomadic cattle herders looking for pasture.

It also says a record 2.1 million people in the country are acutely hungry.

Nomsa Maseko
BBC Southern Africa correspondent

Image source, AFP

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has received an overwhelming majority of nominations from the governing African National Congress (ANC) party's almost 4,000 branches, setting him up for possible re-election at the party’s internal leadership conference next month.

Mr Ramaphosa was elected to lead the ANC after promising to root out corruption in 2017, following former President Jacob Zuma's ousting from the party’s leadership.

Mr Ramaphosa received 2,037 nominations and will face a challenge from former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize who received 916 nominations.

Mr Mkhize resigned from government following corruption allegations at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. President Ramaphosa is currently facing criticism from his own party over an alleged robbery of a large amount of foreign currency at his private farm.

The stolen cash was not part of his declared assets.

The ANC’s elective conference is due to take place from 15 to 20 December.

Related stories:

• King Charles welcomes Cyril Ramaphosa for UK state visit
• South Africa's clean President Ramaphosa faces his own scandal
• Ukraine war: South Africa row over Russian superyacht's arrival

Farmers in the coastal county of Kilifi reportedly sold eight trees to a company based in Georgia.

A man from Uganda's Butajela district is asking for help in supporting his 102 children following economic hardship and two of his 12 wives leaving him, the country's New Vision newspaper reports., external

Musa Hasahya, who married the first of his wives in 1971, has asked the government and charity organisation the Good Samaritans to assist him in sending his younger children to school, the newspaper says.

The businessman and grandfather to 567 children, owns 160 acres of land which has allowed him to produce food for his sizeable family but recent economic problems has made educating his children, difficult.

He admits having such a large family has made things difficult.

“I have advised all my wives of childbearing age to go for family planning. I also discourage those who wish to marry more than four wives not to do so because things are not good," Mr Hasahya is quoted by the New Vision as saying.

Image source, Reuters

Liberia's President George Weah - who was once one of the world's best footballers - didn't get to play at the World Cup as his country has never qualified.

But his son, Tim, is playing in Qatar for the USA. Last night, in front of his dad, who was in the crowd, he scored a goal in the 1-1 draw with Wales.

"Me being here is not only my dream, it's his dream as well," Weah junior told BBC Sport.

"I know he's living the moment through me."

The president has also given his son some advice according to the US player.

"He really wants me to keep faith with me: pray every morning and pray every night. And make sure that I represent myself and my family name in the right way."

Weah junior added that his father really set the bar high when it came to football. He is eligible to play for USA as he was born there in 2000. He also grew up in the US.

George Weah played for AC Milan, Chelsea and Monaco and he won the Ballon D'Or - a prize for the best player of the year - in 1995.

His presence in Qatar has been controversial back home as some Liberians feel the money spent on him being at the World Cup could be better spent in Liberia.

Aboubakar Famau
BBC News, Dodoma

Image source, AFP

A Tanzanian court has released 24 people from the Maasai community facing murder charges following the prosecution's decision not to pursue their case.

The suspects were accused of spearing to death a police officer in an alleged attack against security officers who were demarcating land in northern Tanzania months ago.

It came amid a land dispute between the government and the local people who were protesting against supposed eviction of their community from their ancestral land in Loliondo area in Ngorongoro district.

The 24 people and their leader were arrested in July in the ensuing clashes.

Tanzanians on social media have been reacting to the development, with some expressing their happiness over the release.

There has been pressure from locals and the international community over the government’s plan to demarcate the area, which is seen as a plan to relocate the local community.

However, the government has always defended the move saying the demarcation affects only part of the land and the community will still have access to 2,500 sq km (965 sq miles) of the total 4,000 sq km area.

Nkechi Ogbonna
West Africa Business Journalist, BBC News

Image source, Reuters

About a dozen Twitter staff based in Ghana, which was the firm's only office in Africa, have rejected a severance package offered to them and are now considering taking legal action.

The staff's legal firm has told the BBC that Twitter wants to negotiate the severance package and termination process, but it did not provide details of how it will do so.

The layoffs were part of a global staff cull introduced by new boss Elon Musk.

The employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity, argue that they have been short-changed. They have hired lawyers to initiate talks with Ghana's labour authorities with a view to compelling Twitter to adhere to the country’s laws on redundancy.

Under local law laid-off staff must be paid redundancy and should be given three months notice, as opposed to under a month in the case of the Ghanaian employees of Twitter who have been told the "last day of employment will be 4 December 2022".

Ghana staff were sent messages about the end of their contracts to their personal accounts, after being denied access to work emails.

Twitter offered them what they say was less than the three months severance package that Elon Musk had said staff would get.

In their demand notice, the Ghana staff are also demanding other benefits such as health insurance, stocks, shares and unpaid leave allowances accrued to them.

Twitter is yet to respond directly to a BBC request for comment.

More on this topic:

• Twitter lays off staff at its only Africa office in Ghana

In the Tuareg community in Niger, the women play a drum, made of stretched goatskin, known as the tendé.

Patience Atuhaire
BBC News, Kampala

Image source, AFP

Police in Uganda have arrested a lecturer at the country’s famous Makerere University for alleged physical assault.

Bernard Wandera of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences is being investigated for allegedly slapping a female student in a lecture hall last Friday.

He has not yet appeared in court and has not commented on the allegations.

It is reported that the student was among a group that kept interrupting the lecturer by talking while he was teaching.

A video of the incident has been widely shared online and Makerere has suspended the lecturer.

In a clip shared by police, external, a man is seen at one end of a lecture room raising his hand at someone, there are two slapping sounds and then he yells at her to "leave".

“We firmly condemn the instructor's conduct because it goes against several university policies. The conduct of the faculty is unacceptable and portrays an abuse of authority entrusted to him to nurture and guide students as they pursue knowledge at our great university,” the university said in a tweet, external on Saturday.

In the past, Makerere, the oldest and largest university in Uganda, has been in the spotlight over sexual harassment and "sex for marks" allegations.

Samba Cyuzuzo
BBC Great Lakes

Image source, Getty Images

Angolan President João Lourenço has invited the leaders of Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda for talks on Wednesday to discuss rebel activity in eastern DR Congo.

The talks in Luanda will also be attended by Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye and former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, the state-owned new agency, Angop, says.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the M23 rebels that now control a significant area of North Kivu province in eastern Congo. Kigali has continuously denied the allegations.

Two previous meetings this year between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame had no remarkable results as tensions continue to grow.

President Ndayishimiye, the current chair of the East African Community, has told France24 that “agreeing to sit together is a big step”.

“So far we haven’t made a decision on a regional level, or my-self” about Kinshasa allegations against Kigali, Mr Ndayishimiye told the French broadcaster, adding that they will have an “opportunity to analyse” them in Luanda.

Regional leaders have been calling for peace talks between the Congolese government and armed groups operating in eastern Congo.

Kinshasa has said it will not negotiate with M23 rebels unless they lay down arms and withdraw from areas they have captured.

An M23 spokesperson has told the BBC the group “will not withdraw an inch” from their positions.

Kenyan authorities have cancelled a licence issued to a foreign company to uproot and export baobab trees from the coastal region amid concern by environmental experts.

The environment ministry said authorisation for the uprooting of the giant trees was not obtained regularly.

In a statement, it said that the process needed “adequate authorisation and a clear and transparent benefit sharing formula for the community”.

The ministry has now ordered the transport and forest authorities to cancel the movement permit that allowed the transportation of the trees as well as the export, pending a reassessment of the deal.

"We have agreed that the baobab trees should not be exported until the agreements between the parties are properly regularised," Environment and Forestry Minister Soipan Tuya said.

She said the ministry would also take action against people found not to have followed due process.

The government actions follow "biopiracy" concerns by environmental experts about the export of the trees to Georgia.

Image source, DCI Kenya/ Twitter

The owner of a five-storey building under construction that collapsed last week on the outskirts of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, will face murder charges, police have said.

The building collapsed on a neighbouring home and killed a couple.

Police say the owner of the building was arrested on Monday at the city's main airport while attempting to flee the country.

She will answer to the offences of criminal negligence and murder, police said.

Four county government officials from the planning department will also face similar charges

The owner of another building that collapsed on Monday morning after tenants had been evacuated will be charged for the offence of constructing a building without requisite approvals.

Uganda's health ministry has denied claims that a running event held last weekend at the capital, Kampala, was an Ebola super-spreading event.

In a statement, the ministry said no participant at the marathon presented any symptom of the deadly virus.

It added that no Ebola case had been registered in the capital city beyond those already under quarantine.

The country is grappling with an Ebola outbreak that has so far killed over 50 people. Schools have been closed and a lockdown imposed in two districts thought to be the epicentre of outbreak.

The authorities say efforts have been made to prevent exportation of the virus to other parts of the country.

Read more:

• What is Ebola and why is Uganda's outbreak so serious?