The deputy president has suggested a radical step to reduce alcohol abuse - closing nearly all pubs.

34 days after it first formed at the far end of the Indian Ocean, record-breaking Cyclone Freddy made a repeat landfall on Mozambique as well as passing over Malawi, causing extensive damage and loss of life. Climate scientists Liz Stephens and Izidine Pinto join Roland to give an update on the destruction and explain how Cyclone Freddy kept going for an exceptionally long time.

At the Third International Human Genome Summit in London last week, Professor Katsuhiko Hayashi announced he had created baby mice from eggs formed by male mouse cells. Dr Nitzan Gonen explains the underlying science, whilst Professor Hank Greely discusses the ethics and future prospects.

And from one rodent story to another, SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in brown rats scurrying around New York sewers. Dr Thomas DeLiberto from the US Department of Agriculture gives Roland the details.

When imagining a robot, a hard-edged, boxy, humanoid figure may spring to mind. But that is about to change.

CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge is on a mission to meet the robots that bend the rules of conventionality. Inspired by how creatures like us have evolved to move, some roboticists are looking to nature to design the next generation of machines. And that means making them softer. But just how soft can a robot really be?

Join Alex as he goes on a wild adventure to answer this question from listener Sarah. He begins his quest at the ‘Hello, Robot’ Exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany to define what a robot actually is. Amelie Klein, the exhibition curator, states anything can be a robot as long as three specific criteria are met (including a cute cuddly baby seal). With this in mind, Alex meets Professor Andrew Conn from the Bristol Robotics Lab who demonstrates how soft materials like rubber are perfect contenders for machine design as they are tough to break and - importantly for our listener’s question - bendy.

Alex is then thrown into a world of robots that completely change his idea of what machines are. He is shown how conventionally ‘hard’ machines are being modified with touches of softness to totally upgrade what they can do, including flexible ‘muscles’ for robot skeletons and silicon-joined human-like hands at the Soft Robotics Lab run by Professor Robert Katzschmann at ETH Zurich. He is then introduced to robots that are completely soft. Based on natural structures like elephant trunks and slithering snakes, these designs give robots completely new functions, such as the ability to delicately pick fruit and assist with search and rescue operations after earthquakes. Finally, Alex is presented with the idea that, in the future, a robot could be made of materials that are so soft, no trace of machine would remain after its use...

Image credit: Jack McBrams/Getty Images

Producer: Roland Pease Assistant Producer: Sophie Ormiston

Rescue teams continue to look for victims after Cyclone Freddy's destructive path through Malawi.

Nigeria's Kamaru Usman aims to regain his UFC welterweight title when he fights Leon Edwards for the third time.

Mourners pay their last respects to Ghana midfielder Christian Atsu, seen by many as a national hero

The first elective Fifa congress held on African soil has drawn to a close - but are the main takeaways for the continent?

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Mali interim president Col Assimi Goïta has asked members of the National Transitional Council (CNT) to take ownership of the new draft constitution and popularise it to the public ahead of a referendum on its adoption, reports the privately owned news site Maliweb.

The junta leader is planning to present the draft to political groups and civil society organisations on 20 March, the report said.

On 10 March, the military government announced the indefinite postponement of a referendum on constitutional changes that had been set for 19 March.

Political groups have read mischief in the postponement, accusing the junta of planning to extend their stay in power beyond the February 2024 deadline.

But the government spokesman and minister of territorial administration, Col Abdoulaye Maïga, said that the decision to put off the plebiscite was necessitated by the need to address concerns raised by various political and religious leaders.

Mourners pay their last respects to Christian Atsu, seen by many in Ghana as a national hero.

A plan to re-open schools in Ethiopia's northern region of Tigray has begun three years after they were forced to close after conflict broke out between Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the central government.

During the civil war, many schools were looted and destroyed.

In 2021 Human Rights Watch reported that a quarter of all schools in Tigray had been damaged during the war. Teachers have also not been paid for two years.

“They are looking for a mid-April start date but that is yet to be endorsed," Unicef’s Chief of Education, Chance Briggs, told BBC Focus on Africa radio about the plans to re-open the schools.

“The whole of the education system in Tigray has collapsed. Since July of last year we have 2.3 million children out of school,” he added.

One parent, Mengist Gebremedhin, who lives with his wife and four children in Tigray’s capital, Mekelle, told the BBC that two of his children were in primary school when the civil war broke out.

“I tried to mentor them but there were distractions - the sound of bombings and drones. The children would see soldiers carrying guns and then imitate them.”

Mr Mengist, who is an assistant professor at Mekelle University, had also not received his salary for months.

“We were not getting our salaries so we were worrying about what to feed them. It was not easy to focus on educating them. But yesterday I got my salary - so now I can buy my children clothes and food.”

Twala women in Laikipia, Kenya have turned a thorny issue into a source of profit and empowerment.

Nichola Mandil
BBC News, Juba

At least 1,600 civilians were killed in conflict-related violence in different parts of the country last year alone, the UN peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan (Unmiss), has revealed in its latest report.

More civilian victims were recorded in 2022 compared to 2021, it said.

Unmiss said its Human Rights Division investigations identified three major categories of perpetrators involved in conflict-related violence affecting civilians in South Sudan. They are:

1. Conventional parties to the conflict
2. Community-based militias and/or civil defence groups
3. Unidentified, but related, armed elements

It said conventional parties to the conflict were responsible for killing 48% of the victims.

This category of perpetrators includes government security forces, as well as organised opposition armed groups and their allied proxy armed elements who wilfully perpetrated the violations under the control and direction of the former, Unmiss said.

The mission's head Nicholas Haysom called on South Sudan’s government to “demonstrate political will” and “step up efforts against impunity, investigate human rights violations and abuses and hold perpetrators accountable”.

The government has not commented on the report.

Image source, IAN KHAMA/FACEBOOK

Botswana’s Foreign Minister Lamagang Kwape has denied that an arrest warrant was issued for former President Ian Khama, who is living in exile in South Africa.

After being pressed on the issue by Sophie Ikenye from the BBC's Focus on Africa prgramme, he said: "We will have to engage the ministry of justice to find out the status of any arrest warrant, if any."

In December, it was widely reported that a court in Botswana had issued an arrest warrant against Mr Khama on the charge of possessing illegal firearms.

The 69-year-old former leader has denied the charges and said they were part of a political conspiracy after he fell out with his successor President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Mr Khama left office in 2018 after two five-year terms.

Foreign Minister Kwape spoke to the BBC on the sidelines of a just-concluded meeting of Commonwealth foreign affairs ministers in London.

He also told the BBC that the country was renegotiating contracts and licences in the diamond industry.

He added that Botswana needed to be more involved in the value chain in order to benefit from the diamonds, especially in the manufacturing sector.

The country has more skilled power that can be used to get more from the raw material, he said.

DJ Edu
Presenter of This Is Africa on BBC World Service

Image source, Ritaa

Ritaa is a pioneering singer-songwriter from Malawi.

In 2016, she became the first female artist to reach the top spot in the Malawi charts - with her breakthrough hit Chapatali, featuring Dan Lu, one of the country’s major music stars.

“Chapatali was a big song - and it gave me the confidence to say that I have found my sound.”

Ritaa’s sound is what she describes as "Afro-music - with a bit of an urban touch". There are elements of R&B, dancehall and gospel in her songs - and she has collaborated with Malawian rap artists such as Gwamba and Piksy.

Ritaa is the first musician in her family - and, although she wasn’t following in anyone’s footsteps, her musical journey was influenced by her home life.

“I grew up listening to lots of music because my mum used to play music all the time, especially country music - including Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.”

“I also listened to lots of Whitney Houston - and I think that she is one of the greatest voices that I have ever heard.”

These musical icons planted the seed of becoming a musician in young Ritaa’s mind. And she took the first step into music when she was about nine years old when she joined a church choir.

Ritaa released her first single - Meant to Be - when she was still at school and she was keen to do more. But she listened when her mum advised her to be patient and wait until she had finished her education - and then ‘do music however you want to.’

Ritaa is also leading the way in Malawi - by collaborating with other female artists. She has teamed up with Leslie - a composer, guitarist, singer-songwriter - on Wa Ine. The song tackles the subject of betrayal through a phone conversation between a wife and her husband’s girlfriend.

“In Malawi, it’s not very common to see two female artists working together. But I am a big supporter of women empowerment and I think I am just trying to do my part by creating opportunities through my art for women to work together, to stick together and to stand up for each other.”

“Leslie did the song justice, and working with her was easy and a very good experience for me.”

Ritaa has also collaborated with Tuno, another female Malawian musician, on one of the songs for her debut album, which she hopes to release by the end of the year.

She mostly writes her own songs. She is inspired by things that she sees in society - such as absent fathers which she highlights in Mubwere, her favourite Ritaa song.

The most common thread running through Ritaa’s work is love - in families, friendships and relationships.

“My message to the world would be one of love - and we should all strive to show and share it.”

To hear the full interview with Ritaa, listen to This is Africa on BBC World Service radio and partner stations across Africa, and online here: bbcworldservice.com/thisisafrica.

Eunice Gatonye
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Getty Images

A group of artists has painted murals in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, in solidarity with Ukraine amid the ongoing invasion by Russia.

Dubbed “The grains of culture”, it is the fifth and last mural in a series that has been painted in Vienna, Berlin, Marseille, and Brussels.

“The policy of destruction and elimination of Ukrainian identity is one of Russia's key elements in the war against Ukraine," said Emine Dzhaparova, Ukraine's deputy minister for foreign affairs.

"In our temporarily occupied territories, Russian invaders closed Ukrainian schools and imposed their language and history," the minister added.

Kenyan artists Moha and Eliamin Ink and their Ukrainian counterparts Alina Konyk, Nikita Kravtsov, and Andrii Kovtun created the mural that stands on the wall of Phoenix House at the heart of Nairobi city.

"I am sure that our artistic collaboration is a perfect opportunity to start our diplomatical relationships in a place of culture," said Nikita Kravtsov, a Ukrainian concept-artist.

The mural uses coffee and wheat grains to symbolise the political, economic, and diplomatic ties between Kenya and Ukraine.

Ameyu Etana
BBC Afaan Oromoo

Ethiopia's Public Health Institute (EPHI) says a cholera outbreak has killed 37 people over the past six months in regions worst hit by an ongoing prolonged drought.

The outbreak began in August 2022 mainly in Oromia and Somale regions, which the UN says are experiencing the worst drought in 40 years.

Treatment centres have been established to contain the situation, authorities say.

In its report, EPHI also says that a measles outbreak has claimed 148 lives in the past 18 months.

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

A rights watch group has urged Mozambique to investigate the reported use of tear gas by police to disperse mourners during the funeral of popular rapper Edson da Luz, better known as Azagaia.

Azagaia was a fierce critic of the government. He died last week at his home in the capital, Maputo, at the age of 38.

Social media footage showed police firing tear gas on a procession of mourners as it headed towards the official residence of the president - an area off limits to pedestrians.

The hearse carrying the rapper's coffin was allowed to pass a police barricade, but pedestrians were forced to take an alternative route.

"An impartial investigation is needed to determine whether officers unnecessarily rushed to use tear gas and to hold them accountable," said Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, the Deputy Director of the Africa Division at Human Rights Watch.

Cyclone Freddy is one of the world's longest-lasting storms - why was it so bad?

Ghana's all-time record goalscorer, Asamoah Gyan, has paid tribute to former Black Stars team mate Christian Atsu who was killed in February's earthquakes in Turkey.

Image source, Getty Images

South African police have said that the planned opposition protests on Monday are not a mere shutdown but an attempt to overthrow the government.

The opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is organising nationwide marches to protest against the country's power crisis and has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.

"This is an attempt to overthrow the government. This is not a shutdown, but it’s anarchy," KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, said on Friday while briefing media on security plans to deal with threats posed by the protests.

“The magnitude of threats differs from other planned shutdowns and that is why we have to be extra vigilant,” Mr Mkhwanazi was quoted by local media as saying.

He said police have received no notices of any planned gatherings in the province, adding that over 18,000 security officers would be deployed during the march, eNCA TV reported, external.

President Ramaphosa on Thursday warned that anarchy will not be tolerated during the protests and called on security forces to "defend our people".

Mr Ramaphosa said the only way to get him out of office and power is through a vote.

Julius Malema, the EFF leader, insists the protests are not illegal and has warned that anyone who attempts to stop them would "meet their maker", News24 reported, external.

Ameyu Etana
BBC Afaan Oromoo

Image source, @ Ermias Ayele/ Twitter

More than 60 years after Ethiopia’s legendary athlete Abebe Bikila ran barefoot to win Olympic marathon gold in Rome, a fellow citizen aims to replicate that.

Former race director of the Great Ethiopian Run, Ermias Ayele, is aiming to complete the 42km (26.2 miles) running barefoot in Sunday's Rome marathon, which has been dominated by Ethiopian runners.

Abebe was the first black African to win gold at the Olympics, in 1960. His victory in Rome became an inspiration to generations of African runners, especially in East Africa.

He decided to race barefoot because the shoes he wore on the day were uncomfortable.

“I have always felt that he did not get the recognition he deserved. Moreover, his story always inspired me and that’s why I am planning to emulate him in the same place and the same way, where he made history and pay tribute to all he’s done for athletics and Ethiopia,’’ Mr Emias told Athletics Weekly., external

Abebe died in 1973 from complications from a road accident four years earlier that had left him paralysed.