Supporters of a coup take to the streets, with looting and demonstrations in the capital Niamey.

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for now, we will be back on Friday morning. There will be an automated news feed here until then.

You can also get the latest on the BBC News website and listen to the new Focus on Africa podcast for the stories behind the news

A reminder of our wise words for the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this photo of a man in Cairo carrying fresh bread on Thursday.

Image source, AFP

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

The EU says it believes President Vladimir Putin is misleading African countries over his promise to send free grain to the continent.

The European Commission spokesperson, Nabila Massrali, said that based on past experience, Russia was unlikely to honour its pledge.

Earlier at the Russia-Africa summit, President Putin said he would send thousands of tonnes of free grain within months.

He said he wanted to help avoid a "global food crisis."

Russia recently withdrew from a deal guaranteeing safe passage of Ukranian grain exports, causing concern.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, Getty Images

The Mauritanian authorities have charged a secondary school student with blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammed, state media reports., external

The AMI news agency said the prosecutor's office in the capital, Nouakchott, had indicted Maria Cheikh Abdallahi Obed with the charge, which can be punishable by death.

A statement from the prosecutor said that a baccalaureate exam paper allegedly considered insulting to the Muslim religion had been discovered in a test centre in the north-western town of Atar.

It added that an investigation led to the identification of the suspect and her arrest.

The prosecutor charged Ms Obed with "mocking and insulting the prophet'' and "using social media to harm Islamic sanctities", AMI reported.

The official announcement of the arrest comes after the country's religious authorities decreed that people found guilty of insulting the Prophet Muhammad should face the death penalty.

The Mauritanian Council of Islamic Scholars issued an edict, external on the issue last week after President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani ordered clerics to clarify their stance on blasphemy.

The council justified the use of capital punishment for people found guilty in court of insulting the prophet.

Al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper relayed, external a statement from the suspect's family on 21 July that said their relative suffered from mental illness, and asked the public for forgiveness.

Anita Nkonge
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Getty Images

The Kenyan government has confirmed a cyber-attack on a key government online platform.

The E-citizen portal is used by the public to access over 5,000 government services, which include passport applications and renewals, driving licenses, identification cards and national health records.

"They tried jamming the system by making more than ordinary requests into the system. It started by slowing down the system," said Information, Communication and Digital Economy Minister Eliud Owalo.

But he assured Kenyans that "no data has been accessed. No data has been lost."

It is not conclusively clear who is behind the attack.

Various mobile-money banking services in Kenya have been trending on Twitter and Kenyans are expressing their concerns about why the systems are not working.

Insaf Abbas & Kaine Pieri
BBC News

Image source, Courtesy of Albert

Residents in Niger have told the BBC they are putting their safety first after the military seized power.

As we reported earlier, the military announced a coup overnight after presidential guards seized the president's residence on Wednesday.

It has been roundly condemned.

There are fears that the political turmoil, which has been ongoing since yesterday, could end in violence.

Mustafa is also concerned about the events taking place and has sought shelter at home with his wife and three-year-old son.

"The coup is very regrettable," he adds. "It makes me sad because I want the best for our country. Niger will regress now."

However, not everyone is on the same page in the country. Some citizens, like Djibo, support the military.

Read more about the coup here.

As Africa prepares to host for the first time, BBC Sport Africa examines the chances of the continent's four participants: South Africa, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Shingai Nyoka
BBC News, Harare

Image source, Getty Images

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has gifted his Zimbabwe counterpart a presidential helicopter, according to Zimbabwe's ministry of information.

The gift will be delivered soon, the statement posted on social media said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is attending the Russia-Africa Summit in St Petersburg along with other African leaders.

Russia also pledged to provide free grain to Zimbabwe and five other African countries.

Zimbabwe has long-standing ties to Russia dating back to the war of liberation against white-minority rule.

It is among the African countries that has maintained a neutral stance in the war in Ukraine, refusing to condemn Russia for the invasion.

Read more about the Russia-Africa summit here.

Nkechi Ogbonna
West Africa Business Journalist, BBC News

Image source, AFP

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a request filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) to extend the detention of the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, by 14 days over alleged new evidence it has gathered against him.

Justice Hamza Muazu dismissed the application, citing it as an abuse of the court process and identifying the lack of jurisdiction - meaning the court is not able to rule on the matter.

The application follows Mr Emefiele’s re-arrest by the DSS from the Federal High Court in Lagos after the court ruled that Mr Emefiele be remanded in a correctional centre until the payment of his bail set at 20 million naira ($26,000; £20,000).

On Tuesday, the DSS and officials from the correctional services got into a heated clash after court proceedings over the custody of Mr Emefiele.

The DSS has condemned the incident, saying it would investigate the brawl involving its officials and personnel of the correctional service.

Mr Emefiele, 61, was charged with illegally possessing a shotgun and ammunition by the DSS, which he denies.

His trial is set to take place on 14 November.

Read more about Mr Emefiele's arrest here.

Muthoni Muchiri
BBC News

Image source, Miranda Tillinghast

Kenyans are mourning the death of an iconic nomad lion, Jesse, who died after a territorial fight with a rival pride in the Maasai Mara.

"What a magnificent lion he was," said the Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MCPC) in a tribute on Facebook, external.

Distressing reports of a severely injured lion were initially made by the Mara North Conservancy (MNC). Despite prompt assistance, Jesse who was 12 years old, was unable to survive the attack and succumbed to his injuries.

Born within MNC in early 2011, Jesse and his brother Frank were initially part of the Cheli pride. In 2014, the brothers broke away from the pride and took leadership of the Offbeat pride.

During their time as pride leaders, Jesse and Frank had several offspring. While their sons have either died or gone missing, their daughters are said to be "successfully continuing the Offbeat pride."

However, in 2016, Frank went missing and Jesse embarked on a more nomadic and isolated life although he was still spotted in various conservancies from time to time.

Jesse returned to MNC in early 2023, however the territory he had once ruled with his brother had new leaders - the Engoyanai males.

A fatal altercation with them led to his untimely death on 24 July.

The average lifespan of a lion is about 13 years in the wild, although they can live much longer in captivity.

Shingai Nyoka
BBC News, Harare

A high court has disqualified 12 members of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party from contesting August parliamentary elections.

The judge ruled that the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) membership applications were submitted after the cut-off time of 16:00 on 21 June - the day when nomination courts sat to receive applications.

It means that the ruling Zanu-PF party candidates will be elected unopposed in three seats in the country's second-largest city, Bulawayo, previously an opposition stronghold.

An obscure opposition party, the Elected Early Democrats (EED) challenged the 12 candidates nominations, arguing that the electoral body had illegally accepted their papers.

A chaotic registration process on 21 June saw scores of mainly opposition candidates' applications rejected because of payment system challenges.

United Zimbabwe Alliance's Elisabeth Valerio successfully challenged the rejection of her papers, and will be the only woman on the presidential ballot.

CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere says the 12 will challenge the high court ruling.

Zimbabweans will vote on 23 August to elect councillors, members of parliament, and a president.

Tracey Crouch hopes to raise money for a breast cancer charity to buy life-saving equipment.

The rapper's spectacular show at the Egyptian landmark is officially cancelled at the last minute.

Image source, AFP

Tunisian authorities say hundreds of migrants have drowned off its coast in the first half of this year.

Exact figures vary, with Reuters reporting that 901 bodies had been recovered from January to 20 July, while a separate source told the AFP the number stands at 789.

The North African country has become the main departure point for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Some 75,065 boat migrants had reached Italy by 14 July against 31,920 in the same period last year, according to Reuters citing official data - with more than half of them leaving from Tunisia.

Tunisia and the EU recently signed a deal to tackle illegal migration.

Read more about migration from North Africa here.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

The announcement of the coup in Niger will come as a big blow to the leadership of the West Africa regional bloc, Ecowas, and raises the constitutional crises in the region to a new level.

In the past three years, soldiers have overthrown the presidents of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.

And as had been the case with these countries, soldiers in Niger have cited the deteriorating security situation and bad governance as the reasons for taking over the government of the country.

But questions are being asked if there are external influences pushing these military coups in the former French colonies.

Two weeks ago Ecowas chairman President Bola Tinubu warned that terrorism and the emerging pattern of coups in West Africa had reached alarming levels and demanded urgent, concerted actions.

President Tinubu has now sent the President of Benin Patrice Talon to mediate in the ongoing situation in Niger.

Read our story about the coup here.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, Reuters

The Nigerian senate has rejected a motion by south-east region senators for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob).

Imo West Senator Osita Izunaso, who moved the motion, said setting Mr Kanu free would end the sit-at-home orders enforced in the region by gunmen.

"When people are forced to stay at home and businesses remain closed, productivity declines and income is reduced, affecting livelihoods and economic growth," he said.

However, the senate rejected the pleas from the south-east lawmaker, and instead asked the federal government to ensure those who enforce the orders are arrested.

Unknown gunmen have been enforcing sit-at-home directives every Monday since August 2021 - despite Ipob distancing itself from them.

Mr Kanu has been in detention since June 2021 even after a court dropped all the terror charges against him in October 2022.

South Africa's pioneering coach Desiree Ellis on the growth of women's football and leading her nation at a second World Cup.

Pioneering coach Desiree Ellis on the growth of women’s football and leading her nation at a second World Cup.

Image source, AFP

President Vladimir Putin has said that he wants to see the African Union (AU) become a full member of the G20 club of nations, speaking at the start of an African leaders' summit in St Petersburg.

"We hope that this decision will be made as early as September, during the G20 summit in New Delhi," Mr Putin said.

"As before, Russia is ready to do everything possible to promote the strengthening of the sovereignty of African states, to help make Africa one of the key partners in the new system of a multipolar world order," he added.

Addressing Russia's decision to withdraw from a UN-brokered deal to allow safe passage for grain shipments from Ukraine's southern ports, and eventually to Africa, Mr Putin said that Russia can plug the gap.

He added that Russia will be able to provide free grain to six African countries in the next few months.

Fewer African leaders are taking part in the summit than at the last such event, partly because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The president has been detained and troops now say they are closing the country's borders.