1. Onana confirms Cameroon return despite 'injustice'published at 16:42 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana reaffirms his commitment to Cameroon, despite claims he has faced "injustice and manipulation".

    Read More
  2. Burhan in South Sudan as search for peace continuespublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Nichola Mandil & Will Ross
    BBC News, Juba & London

    The military leader of Sudan has travelled to South Sudan to hold talks with President Salva Kiir in the capital, Juba.

    Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's visit comes after several rounds of peace talks have failed to end his country's four-and-a-half month war.

    Journalists were prevented from covering the meeting but according to a press statement from President Kiir’s office, the two leaders discussed the crisis in Sudan.

    "We in Sudan feel that South Sudan is the best country to mediate the conflict in Sudan, because we have been one country for so long and we know each other, we know the problems and we know our needs," Sudan’s acting Foreign Minister Ali al-Sadiq told reporters after the meeting.

    South Sudan's Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lomuro said it was in the interest of his country to find a solution to the crisis in Sudan.

    "It is known that President Kiir is the only person who has intimacy and knowledge about Sudan and can find a solution to the Sudanese crisis," Dr Lomuro said.

    The UN refugee agency has appealed for $1bn (£790m) to provide essential aid and protection to the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled to neighbouring countries.

    The UN says 4.8 million people have been displaced since the war began in April.

  3. Africa climate summit is about growth 'with dignity'published at 15:57 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    BBC Newsday
    World Service radio

    Civil society groups from across Africa hold placards during a peaceful protest against the continent's inaugural climate summit, marching against the use of fossil fuels in the region while demanding that governments and industries transition to renewable energy in Nairobi, Kenya September 4, 2023Image source, Reuters

    The ongoing Africa climate summit in Nairobi is a critical moment of solidarity for Africa to be able to leap into the future with dignity, environmental campaigner Wanjira Mathai has told the BBC.

    Ms Mathai, who is the daughter of the late Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prof Wangari Mathai, says Africa is offering leadership based on solutions - with its abundant renewable energy, critical minerals and a young and fastest-growing workforce.

    But she told the BBC's Newsday programme that "we cannot adapt against abject poverty... this has to be about economic growth, development that is low carbon, sustainable and inclusive".

    She said she expects to see a push for a fair and equal access in the global markets for goods produced with green energy on the continent.

    In addition, she said African countries have to get "fair and equal access to finance".

    "It's one of the biggest demands on the table... global financial architecture that is rigged against Africa, paying eight times more for finance than the rest of the world. So finance is critical [as well as] technology and knowledge," she said.

  4. Mnangagwa says foreigners tried to 'sponsor mayhem'published at 15:28 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Shingai Nyoka
    BBC Zimbabwe correspondent

    Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (C) gestures as he arrives for his inauguration ceremony in Harare on September 4, 2023Image source, AFP

    Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was sworn in earlier after winning a disputed poll, has accused outsiders of trying to sponsor mayhem during the elections.

    He took the oath in front of the chief justice, and to cheers from thousands of supporters.

    The main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change boycotted the ceremony. It has called for fresh elections, describing President Mnangagwa’s win as a gigantic fraud.

    But the presence of South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa was an endorsement despite regional criticism of the poll.

    Mr Mnangagwa pledged to transform the living standards of the poor and to uphold the constitution.

    His greatest challenge will be to unite a divided country.

  5. Thirty-five traders killed in Zambia truck accidentpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Thirty-five people have died in the Luano district of central Zambia after the truck they were travelling in overturned.

    The state-owned newspaper, Times of Zambia, has reported that the 15-tonne truck was carrying traders to a weekend market on Sunday morning when the speeding driver lost control.

    Twenty-four other passengers suffered injuries in the accident.

    Authorities told local media that 27 of the victims died on the spot and the other eight died while headed to hospital.

  6. Africa climate summit hijacked by West, activists saypublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Anthony Irungu
    BBC News, Nairobi

    Climate protest march

    Hundreds of people from several African countries have been protesting against the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, which they say has been hijacked by "multinationals and Western governments".

    Organisers called the march an "alternative summit" to the main three-day conference at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

    They say the agenda of the summit has been hijacked by pro-Western corporations, consultancy companies and philanthropic organisations that are pushing a selfish agenda.

    “We are here to demonstrate the power of people. What is happening at KICC is advancing the interests of the big polluters,” said Hardi Yakubu, from the African Rising Movement.

    In a public letter addressed to Kenya’s President William Ruto, over 100 civil society organisations and climate change movements across Africa and the diaspora urged African leaders to avoid "false solutions such as carbon markets, which encourage wealthy countries to continue polluting".

    “What has been created in the formal summit is a space for the corporations to present themselves as the solutions while marginalising the people affected by climate change,” said Teresa Anderson, the global lead on climate justice at the charity ActionAid.

    Their demands include establishing an African-led expert group to reshape the summit's agenda, focus on renewable energy, promote transparent dialogue between citizens and policymakers and secure sufficient climate funding.

    Read more on the climate:

    Woman holding a placard
  7. Niger re-opens skies to civilian flightspublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Chris Ewokor
    BBC News, Abuja

    A supporter of the military junta displays a sign that reads 'No to war, yes, to dialogue' during a protest against a potential military intervention in Niamey, Niger, 20 August 2023Image source, EPA
    Image caption,

    There were demonstrations in Niger after West African leaders said military action against Niger was a possibility

    The authorities in Niger have announced the re-opening of the country’s airspace for civil and commercial flights.

    The military junta in Niamey closed access to the skies above the country on 6 August citing “a threat of military invasion” from neighbouring countries. This came after the leaders of regional bloc Ecowas said they might use force following the 26 July coup which ousted President Mohammed Bazoum.

    The decision to open the airspace however does not apply to military flights and other special flights which are subject to “authorisation from the competent authorities”, Niger says.

    However, flights to the country may still be restricted due to economic sanctions imposed by Ecowas.

  8. Kenyan authorities recover grabbed Indian Ocean islandspublished at 13:04 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Kisite Mpunguni Marine Park in KenyaImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    KWS launched a complaint for the grabbers to return the islands in August 2022

    Kenya’s anti-graft agency has announced that it has recovered three Indian Ocean islands that had been illegally seized by three people.

    The agency’s spokesperson Eric Ngumbi also revealed that they are in the process of reclaiming a fourth island, which the accused person has refused to surrender.

    According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Kenya’s anti-graft institution, the four islands are worth 305m Kenyan shillings ($2m, £1.6m).

    The islands were designated as a protected area under the Kisite Mpunguni Marine Reserve in 1978. Since then, they have legally belonged to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the body that manages and conserves the country's wildlife resources.

    Mr Ngumbi told media that private ownership of the islands, which are discreetly located and two hours from the mainland by water, poses a risk as people could use the islands for criminal activities away from government oversight.

  9. Lagos metro train opens to publicpublished at 12:38 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Nduka Orjinmo
    BBC News, Abuja

    Passengers inside a trainImage source, Olawale Adekola/BBC
    Image caption,

    The train will stop for 90 seconds at each station

    Paying passengers have used the Lagos metro rail service for the first time on Monday, 20 years after plans for the line were announced and 14 years after construction began on the project.

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was on board as the train began commercial operations months after it was launched at the beginning of the year with test rides.

    The 13km (eight mile-) Blue Line from Marina on Lagos Island to Mile 2 on the mainland, links the business districts with the residential areas.

    The train is expected to ease commuting in the state which has been notorious for its traffic jams.

    Estimates say the new rail line will cut down the length of journeys on that route by as much as three hours - though commuting times on the roads have been reduced drastically since the removal of a fuel subsidy has seen fewer cars on the roads.

    There are five stations on the overland route which can be covered in around 30 minutes and it will cost 750 naira ($1; £0.80) for a full trip.

    There will be an initial 12 trips during the morning and evening peak hours which will rise to 76 at full operation.

    The Blue Line is one of six rail and monorail lines that are part of the state’s transport plan that includes ferries and the Bus Rapid Transport.

    More pictures:

    A blue trainImage source, Olawale Adekola/BBC
    A woman takes a selfie inside a train in LagosImage source, Olawale Adekola/BBC
    Commuters standing at a Lagos train stationImage source, Olawale Adekola/BBC

    Read more:

  10. Jet ski tourists shot after warnings, says Algeriapublished at 12:15 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Officials say the group ignored alerts after straying from Moroccan waters, but a survivor disputes this.

    Read More
  11. Gabon junta leader describes big changespublished at 12:07 British Summer Time 4 September 2023
    Breaking

    in his inaugural address, Gen Brice Nguema said:

    • There should be a referendum on a new constitution
    • There should be a new electoral law and a new penal code
    • There will be a free and transparent elections
  12. Gabon junta leader: Our action was necessarypublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 4 September 2023
    Breaking

    Speaking after being sworn in as Gabon's interim president, Gen Brice Nguema defended the seizure of power last week, saying that it was a patriotic act.

    He quoted Ghana's former military leader, and later elected president, Jerry John Rawlings, saying that: "When the people are smashed by the leaders, then it's the military who must give them back their dignity and freedom.

    "It is in this spirit that we the defence forces took their responsibilities by refusing the... biased electoral process."

  13. Nguema sworn in as Gabon's transitional presidentpublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 4 September 2023
    Breaking

    Gen Brice Nguema has just been sworn in as president of the transitional government in the capital Libreville.

  14. Mnangagwa sworn in after disputed Zimbabwe pollpublished at 11:08 British Summer Time 4 September 2023
    Breaking

    Shingai Nyoka
    BBC News

    imbabwe Presidet Emmerson Mnangagwa's supporters cheer before his inauguration at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe September 4,2023Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A supporter holds up a toy crocodile at the swearing-in ceremony - reflecting President Emmerson Mnangagwa's nickname

    President Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken his oath of office, at the start of his second term, swearing to uphold the constitution.

    He was sworn in by Chief Justice Luke Malaba in front of tens of thousands of supporters from his Zanu-PF party.

    Regional leaders including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mozambique's leader Filipe Nyusi are attending the event, so too is former first lady Grace Mugabe.

  15. US embassy issues warning amid Uganda terror threatspublished at 10:57 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Police officers inspect around sites after two blasts occurred with one just meters away from the main gate to the country's parliament and the other near the city's central police station, in Kampala, Uganda on November 16, 2021.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Ugandan police said they had received intelligence reports that four suicide bombers were targeting churches across Uganda

    The US embassy in Uganda has warned that "there remains a threat of terrorist attacks in Uganda and throughout the region", as Ugandan police on Monday evacuated a business centre in the capital, Kampala, on suspicions that there was an explosive inside.

    The US embassy has also told US citizens to stay alert and avoid large public gatherings, a day after Ugandan police thwarted a suicide bombing attack in Kampala.

    Patrick Onyango, the spokesperson of Kampala Metropolitan Police, said that the police arrested a 28-year-old suspected suicide bomber before he entered Rubaga Miracle Centre, a church operated by the prominent Ugandan preacher Pastor Robert Kayanja.

    Mr Onyango said that the arrested suspect was helping the police to locate three other suspects believed to be part of a co-ordinated plot targeting churches across Uganda.

    According to police reports, the man had concealed an improvised explosive device in a food flask placed in a bag.

    Authorities successfully detonated the explosive, which comprised of nails, a cell phone, detonator, booster charger and other components.

  16. Zimbabwe opposition rules out legal challenge to pollpublished at 10:22 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Shingai Nyoka
    BBC News

    Zimbabwe Presidet Emmerson Mnangagwa's supporters cheer before his inauguration at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe September 4,Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Emmerson Mnangagwa's supporters have been celebrating ahead of the inauguration in Harare

    Zimbabwe's main opposition party has confirmed that it will not seek to overturn the presidential election result in court.

    Official results show that incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa won last month's poll with close to 53% of the vote, which international observers said fell short of democratic standards.

    He is now due to be sworn in shortly.

    Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa has called for a fresh election - but once the president has taken his oath of office, that will be difficult to do.

    Several heads of state from the southern African region – and representatives from China and Belarus have begun arriving ahead of the inauguration.

  17. Nigeria weighs G20 membership prospectspublished at 10:01 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    The Newsroom
    BBC World Service

    Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and other world leaders pose for the family photo on the first day of the Rome G20 summit, on October 30, 2021 in Rome, Italy. The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries plus the European Union. It was founded in 1999 in response to several world economic crises.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Currently, South Africa is the only African member of G20

    Nigeria is considering applying to join the G20 group of major economies.

    President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said on Sunday that the government was weighing the risks and benefits of membership before making a decision on whether to submit an application.

    “While Nigeria's membership of the G20 is desirable, the government has embarked on wide-ranging consultations with a view to ascertaining the benefits and risks of membership," Mr Ngelale said in a statement.

    President Tinubu has travelled to Delhi to attend the group's summit at the invitation of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Mr Ngelale earlier said that Mr Tinubu’s attendance at the G20 summit was to seek foreign investment in Nigeria, mobilise investors and strengthen bilateral agreements with other countries.

    Currently, South Africa is the only African member of the G20.

  18. Algeria says killed jet skiers had refused to stoppublished at 09:30 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Relatives carry the body of Bilal Kissi, shot dead by the Algerian coastguard when he and a fellow jet skier strayed across the maritime border between Algeria and Morocco, during his funeral in the city of Saidia in northeastern Morocco on August 31, 2023.Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    One body of the jet skiers who were shot dead had been recovered

    Algeria has made its first official comment on the shooting dead of two jet skiers who strayed into Algerian waters from Morocco last Tuesday.

    The defence ministry in Algiers said a group of jet skiers ignored warning shots from the security forces and refused to stop.

    It accused them of illegally crossing into Algerian territorial waters at a time of increased maritime drug trafficking and organised crime.

    The ministry said one body had been recovered.

    Lawyers for the two victims - one a French-Moroccan dual national and the other holding French residency - say they will file a complaint in Paris.

    The incident coincides with increased tension between Morocco and Algeria.

    The border between the two countries has been closed for nearly 30 years.

  19. Photos: Soldiers assemble for Gabon swearing inpublished at 09:14 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Man in fatugues with a banner

    Our colleague Thomas Naadi has just sent these pictures from the Gabonese capital, Libreville, where the head of the military junta, Gen Brice Oligui Nguema, is due to be sworn into office as the interim president.

    He was part of a group of officers who seized power last week.

    Women in a blue uniform
    Military men in formation
    Soldier pointing at guns
  20. Africa to find climate solutions not be the victims- Rutopublished at 08:31 British Summer Time 4 September 2023

    Rory Gallimore
    BBC World Service

    Kenya's President William Ruto arrives at the beginning of the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.Image source, State House Kenya
    Image caption,

    The Africa Climate Summit will tackle African and global climate change issues

    African heads of state are gathering in Kenya for the Africa Climate Summit, where they will discuss the continent's approach to climate change.

    The meeting in Nairobi is the first of its kind in Africa. It aims to come up with a common plan to present to other world leaders at the COP28 UN climate summit later this year.

    Over the next three days, delegates at the summit will consider a new funding model to help governments reduce carbon emissions.

    Kenyan President William Ruto said Africa should be part of the solution to global warming, rather than a victim.

    "For a very long time we have looked at this as a problem. It is time we flipped and looked at it from the other side," he told delegates at the opening of the meeting.

    "There are opportunities, immense opportunities as well. And that is why we are not here to catalogue grievances and list problems, we are here to scrutinise ideas, assess perspectives, so that we can unlock solutions."

    African countries are among the smallest contributors to climate change, but suffer some of its worst effects.

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