BBC Monitoring
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Image source, AFP

Burkina Faso has asked France to recall its ambassador, Luc Hallade, after several tense exchanges with the military junta that have strained relations between the two countries, Paris-based pan-African publication Jeune Afrique reported on Monday, external, citing unnamed sources in Paris.

Burkina Faso's Foreign Affairs Minister Olivia Rouamba reportedly wrote to the French presidency "at the end of December" demanding a change of representative.

The development comes less than two weeks after Burkina Faso expelled UN resident coordinator Barbara Manzi.

In November, the French embassy in Ouagadougou accused Burkina Faso of failing to provide adequate protection to its premises, which were attacked during anti-French protests last year.

In July, Ambassador Hallade was forced to apologise for comparing militant violence in Burkina Faso to a civil war.

Burkina Faso is increasingly embracing Russia, seemingly under the influence of Mali which cut diplomatic ties with France last year after Paris condemned Bamako's use of Russian mercenaries.

The authorities in Burkina Faso have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the deaths of 28 people whose bodies were found in the north-western town of Nouna.

In a statement, external, the government said the killings were discovered on the night of 30 December and condemned the "unacceptable violence".

The Reuters news agency quotes prosecutors as saying that the victims were killed by gunfire, but there was no indication on the possible perpetrators or motive for the attacks.

The authorities have called for calm pending the outcome of the investigation.

"This drama occurs at a time when Burkina Faso has initiated an operation of mobilisation of the whole people for unity of action in the fight against terrorism," the government statement said.

A rights group said the dead were civilians who had been targeted by a civil defence force recently launched by the government to help fight an Islamist insurgency. There has been no confirmation of this.

The West African country is battling an Islamist insurgency has already displaced nearly two million people, and prompted two military coups within a year.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

The state-funded Ethiopian Media Authority (Ema) has issued a statement, external calling on the authorities to stop harassing media workers, particularly investigative journalists.

It came after the privately owned Ethiopian Satellite Television (Esat TV) said last week that it had received what it called a letter of intimidation from a court in the capital, Addis Ababa.

“Of late, a tendency to stop the work of investigative journalism has been observed,” Ema said.

"In line with the responsibility bestowed on it to create an enabling environment for the mass media, the Ethiopian Media Authority calls for an end to the harassment of investigative journalists by any quarters."

BBC World Service

Burkina Faso has repeated its commitment to restoring constitutional rule within 18 months following a decision by the US to drop it from its preferential trade programme.

The American Trade Representative's office said the country had failed to meet the requirements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) because it had acted unconstitutionally.

There were two military coups in Burkina Faso last year, sparked by the authorities' inability to control an intensifying Islamist insurgency.

Agoa gives sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the US as long as they meet certain eligibility requirements, including progress towards democracy.

Image source, Getty Images

Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Burna Boy has apologised to fans after being criticised for a late performance at a concert that saw him take to the stage in the small hours of Monday.

In a statement on Instagram, the musician blamed organisers for his lateness at the Love Damini Concert held in Lagos.

"The organisational structure and infrastructure are not there for the complexities of my audio and production needs," the musician said.

He added: "I apologise to my fans for how hectic it was, thank you for staying and weathering the storm with me."

He said he would be working with investors to build world-class infrastructure in the Nigerian entertainment business.

The singer is one of the most successful African musicians in the world.

Image source, PETER OBI / FACEBOOK

Nigeria's former President Olusegun Obasanjo is at the centre of a political storm after endorsing opposition presidential hopeful Peter Obi ahead of the general election due next month.

In his endorsement, Mr Obasanjo described Mr Obi of Labour Party as a "mentee" who had an "edge over other candidates".

He also described the West African country's current state of affairs as having "moved from [the] frying pan into [the] fire and from the mountain top to the valley".

Mr Obasanjo governed Nigeria between 1999 and 2007 as the flag bearer for the now main opposition PDP party. But he has since distanced himself from the party.

In an angry response, President Muhammadu Buhari's office said the former leader was "being jealous" and represented the "dark days of Nigeria’s democracy".

The former president thinks "he is the best ever to lead Nigeria and there will never be another one better than him", a statement from a presidential aide said.

Peter Obi is seen as one of the three main contenders. The others are Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the governng APC and Abubakar Atiku of the opposition PDP.

Local outlets quote Mr Tinubu's campaign as saying that their candidate "will not lose sleep" over Mr Obasanjo’s endorsement, while Mr Atiku's camp said the "endorsement of an individual no matter how highly placed does not translate to victory at the polls".

Campaigns have intensified ahead of the general elections.

Read more on Nigeria presidential candidates:

• Atiku Abubakar: The man who wants Nigerians to look back to go forward
• Bola Tinubu: Lagos 'godfather' sets sights on conquering Nigeria
• Peter Obi: The Labour Party candidate electrifying young Nigerians

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

Public transport in the Tunisian capital ground to a halt after employees of the state transport company went on strike on Monday over delays to salary payments.

Hundreds of workers staged a protest outside the prime minister's office.

The industrial action highlights problems facing public companies as the government of President Kais Saied grapples with its worst financial crisis.

The powerful UGTT union is to hold another two-day strike involving transport workers in late January.

It says the action will be in protest against what it calls "the government's marginalisation of public companies."

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

Image source, AFP

Herds of elephants have destroyed houses, granaries and crops in central Mozambique.

Officials in Safala province said the animals were desperate for water as their regular sources had completely dried up.

They said the elephants had been wrecking everything in their path, and some families had had to abandon their homes and move elsewhere.

Elephants encroaching on areas of human settlement are an increasing problem in Mozambique and they are leaving conservation areas in search of food and water.

The national environmental body says nearly 100 people have been killed by wild animals in the past two years.

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The brightly painted wooden sarcophagus was smuggled to the US by a global art trafficking network.

Ten people, most of them children, died during a concert in the capital, Kampala.

The two male lawmakers attacked Amy Ndiaye after she criticised an opposition religious figure.

In September 2020, Nicholas Opiyo awoke to a commotion in his flat. There had been a robbery and all his personal electronics had been stolen. He says he tracked his devices to a shocking and impenetrable location: the headquarters of Uganda’s military intelligence. He believes he was targeted because of his work.

The Ugandan authorities chose not to respond to these allegations.

Opiyo, as he prefers to be known, survived civil war to become one of Uganda’s top human rights lawyers. He’s taken on huge cases, including successfully overturning the country’s anti-LGBTQ legislation in 2014. He’s received awards for his efforts but also hostility. The break-in at his home was ominous. Months later, Opiyo would be arrested – on false charges – and he'd need to make a life-changing choice.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Maryam Maruf

(Photo: Nicholas Opiyo. Credit: Courtesy of Nicholas Opiyo)

Hafsat Abiola Costello's dad was nearly Nigeria's president - but he had powerful enemies

His name was Moshood Abiola, also known as MKO, and he was one of Africa's richest men before turning to politics. He was the presumed winner of a 1993 Presidential election, but the incumbent military regime annulled the result and had him arrested. Hafsat and her mother fought for his release, but the family paid a high price for taking on the generals..

Presenter: Emily Webb Producer: Harry Graham Editor: Munazza Khan Sound design: Joel Cox

Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence

JP Bimeni is a writer turned soul singer who walked through a massacre unscathed as his country fell into conflict. At just 16 he had a lot more living, and almost dying, to do. Now a successful performer these experiences seep into his songs.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Louise Morris

Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence

JP Bimeni risked his life to save a book of his verse. He started composing poetry to impress a girl, but was soon writing to address the ethnic tensions which threatened to tear his country apart. When violence did break out he dodged machete-wielding mobs to make it to safety. The mission to rescue his poetry almost cost him everything.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Louise Morris

Pirates attacked Judith and her husband in a remote Kenyan resort in 2011. Judith was dragged from her bed and taken by boat to Somalia, where she was held for over six months. Despite everything she went through, Judith Tebbutt has spent the last ten years trying to get justice for a man she believes was wrongly convicted of the crime.

Due to breaking news we're bringing you this episode of Lives Less Ordinary earlier than scheduled.

Presenter: Emily Webb Producer: Rebecca Vincent

Anne's village thought her disability made her worthless. She had other ideas. Now a graduate and a Paralympian who's represented Kenya and the UK, this is the story of how Anne Wafula Strike forgave the unforgiveable and made her return.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Louise Morris