Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Five civilians have been killed and 13 others were wounded in a car bombing in central Somalia.

Police said a car rigged with explosives detonated near a busy market in the district of Buloburde in Hiran region.

Islamist militant group al-Shabab frequently targets civilian and military targets.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently launched the second phase of a major offensive against al-Shabab.

With the help of local clan militias, African Union troops and US air support, the military has managed to capture several towns and villages.

But correspondents say there have also been significant setbacks with the jihadists fighting back to retake some areas.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

The state-owned electricity company in Tanzania has blamed droughts caused by climate change as well as maintenance issues for severe power shortages that are expected to last until next March.

Last week, rationing measures were introduced across the country.

The new head of Tanzania's state-owned power company, Gissima Nyamo-Hanga, has been given a tough deadline by his boss.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has said that by March she doesn't want to hear about electricity rationing.

Mr Nyamo-Hanga has said the national grid is suffering from broken infrastructure at gas-fired power stations and reduced water levels at hydropower dams.

The capacity will soon get a major boost as a dam in a game park, which faced a lot of criticism from environmentalists, is now almost complete.

There are also significant solar projects on the way.

Less than half of all Tanzanians have electricity at home and with high population growth it will be a challenge to keep up with soaring demand.

Our African proverb of the day:

Image source, Getty Images

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

A selection of the best photos from the African continent and beyond.

At least 11 people killed after flooding in South Africa's Africa's Western Cape province, including Cape Town.

That's all for now from the BBC Africa Live team - we'll be back on Friday morning.

Until then you can find the latest updates at BBCAfrica.com and listen to the Focus on Africa podcast for stories behind the news.

A reminder of Thursday's wise words:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this picture of members of a choir singing in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, during celebrations to mark the Orthodox Christian holiday of Meskel.

Image source, AFP

Peter Jegwa
Lilongwe, Malawi

Image source, AFP

Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera and the country’s former leader Bakili Muluzi are among high-profile figures to pay tribute to John Tembo, who died on Wednesday aged 91.

President Chakwera, in a statement jointly issued with his wife Monica, described the death of Tembo as a great loss both to the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the nation of Malawi.

Mr Chakwera succeeded Tembo as president of the MCP, then an opposition party, in 2013.

The president said Tembo’s service to the party and nation “spanned six decades that saw him at the core of the establishment of key institutions of the country".

Warm sentiments towards the veteran politician were also expressed by Mr Muluzi, who served as president from 1994 until 2004.

He had previously worked with Tembo when the MCP was the only party allowed to exist by law when Mr Muluzi held the position of party secretary general, with Tembo as treasurer general.

“I am deeply saddened by the death of a man I knew so well and worked very closely with in the Malawi Congress Party (MCP),” Mr Muluzi said, describing him as “a staunch defender of his party” and “a man who strongly defended what he believed in”.

Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu described Tembo as “a true statesman who did a lot for the cause of building the country”.

More tributes came from Malawians of all walks of life, including religious leaders, civil society activists and local celebrities.

Tembo, regarded as one of the most influential politicians of all time, was a close ally of former President Hastings Banda who ruled Malawi for three decades during which time Tembo held multiple positions in government and state institutions.

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

Mozambique’s health authorities have expressed concern that some 37% of children in the country are suffering from chronic malnutrition.

This troubling rise is compounded by a lack of access to healthcare and limited educational opportunities, posing serious challenges to the overall development of Mozambique's youth.

“These are children whose first five years of life are marked by hunger and, often, associated with illness, they are the same ones whose minds are not stimulated, lack of appropriate interaction and have fewer opportunities to perform well at school,” explained Humberto Rodrigues, representative of the National Directorate of Public Health.

In response, civil society groups are calling for the implementation of a National Early Childhood Policy. Advocates argue that such a policy could help address the developmental obstacles faced.

“If we had a law, we would have all the guidelines on how we could have a programme, financing, a communication system and how to involve parents and guardians in order to provide children with better security,” explained Gertrudes Noronha, representative of the Early Childhood Development Network.

The Ministry of Health, Gender, Children and Social Action and partners met in the capital, Maputo, on Thursday to seek answers to early childhood development problems, which is the period from birth to eight years of age.

East Africa will meet the Confederation of African Football's rigorous requirements for Afcon 2027, Ugandan official Rogers Byamukama says.

Image source, AFP

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has appointed a senior military official as a minister of state for regional cooperation despite the fact he been accused of working closely with a Congolese rebel group.

General James Kabarebe, who has for decades been a close ally of Mr Kagame, retired from the military last month.

UN experts published a report in June accusing Gen Kabarebe of playing a leading role in coordinating operations by the M23 rebel group in eastern DR Congo. Rwanda has denied that its military has supported the M23.

Since the group relaunched a rebellion almost two years ago, hundreds of thousands of civilians have been forced from their homes.

DR Congo accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 - an allegation denied in Kigali.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

A 21-year-old man from Sudan has been charged with an immigration offence by the British authorities after a woman's body was found on a beach in northern France.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said Howmalow Mawumd-Duop would appear in court accused of facilitating illegal immigration.

He was detained in the English Channel port of Dover on Tuesday, the same day that an Eritrean woman was found at Bleriot-Plage, near the French city of Calais.

The NCA said she is thought to have died attempting to cross the Channel in a small boat.

The British and French governments have promised to crack down on people-smuggling gangs behind the crossings.

Mike Thomson
BBC World Service News

Image source, AFP

A female employee of Cairo University has been shot dead by a former co-worker in what Egyptian media are calling the latest gender based killing.

Nourhan Hussein is reported to have rejected a marriage proposal from the suspect.

The man was later tracked down to an area west of the capital where he is said to have killed himself with the same weapon used in the murder.

In a separate incident in Cairo earlier this week another woman was killed by a former fiancé.

Rights groups say there were more than a thousand cases of violence against women in Egypt last year, including three hundred murders.

Favour Nunoo
BBC News

Military leaders in Gabon have relaxed the curfew imposed on the country following the overthrow of President Ali Bongo.

The new curfew, announced by the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) on Wednesday, runs from midnight to 05:00.

Previously, it started between 18:00 and 22:00 depending on the area, and lasted until 06:00.

The new curfew, according to the junta, forms part of efforts to restore economic operations in the country.

Junta leaders say unlike the previously modified curfew which exempted certain areas a few weeks ago, this one is the same across the entire country.

Junta spokesman Col Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi says the reason for this new curfew is to "relieve economic operators in all sectors."

The transition committee also cites activities related to the start of the school year as part of their reasons for the decision.

Ashley Lime
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images

A new report has recorded more than 300 human rights abuses against the LGBTQ community by state and non-state actors following the enactment of the anti-homosexuality law in Uganda.

The report was released by a group of rights agencies under the Convening for Equality.

Between January and August 2023 "real and perceived LGBTIQ+ persons were tortured, beaten, arrested, outed and suffered physical, sexual and psychological violence, including forced anal exams, evictions and blackmail, loss of employment and health service disruptions", the groups say.

These accounted for a total of 306 human rights violations and abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

There were 179 incidents of torture, cruel and inhuman treatment that included 18 forced anal examinations ordered by police were documented.

The authors are calling for protection from the international community and an end to the consequences of the anti-gay legislation whose effects they say have gone unaddressed by the authorities.

They note both politicians and religious leaders "catalyse the potential for more violence and discrimination, furthering physical and economic vulnerabilities of LGBTIQ+ Ugandans".

The report also indicates increased mental health cases such as suicidal thoughts, and an upsurge in the number of people seeking asylum.

“As other African countries consider similar laws that not only increase prison time for same-sex sexual conduct but criminalise legitimate human rights and public health work, it is more important than ever for international funders and businesses to actively defend the principles of non-discrimination and inclusive economic development in their words and actions," said Frank Mugisha of Sexual Minorities Uganda and co-convener of Convening for Equality.

It was difficult to give an exhaustive account of the abuses, the report cautioned, as some victims were reluctant to share their ordeals because of fear of retaliation.

When the BBC reached out for comment, Uganda government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said the country had a vibrant civil society and local community FM radios that the activists could have reported the cases to.

He said none of the rights groups had reported a single case since the law was enacted.

"Besides, homosexuality is an undercover life that unless you're really close to a person it's unlikely you would know."

Mr Opondo added that "this is a false, concocted report. Come to Uganda and carry out your own deeper investigations than relying on hearsays by people or organisations that are seeking your financial support".

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni on 26 May signed into law a strict anti-gay bill that includes the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality", a move that sparked Western condemnation.

Subsequently, the World Bank announced it had suspended all new funding to Uganda saying the new law contradicts its values.

Read more: Uganda man faces death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality'

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

The authorities in Burkina Faso say four army officers have been detained for questioning a day after the military government announced it had thwarted a coup attempt.

The military prosecutor's office also said two officers were on the run.

It is almost a year since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power - the second coup in the country in eight months.

But there have been signs of tension within the military.

The military prosecutor says an investigation has begun and has appealed for witnesses following what he called attempts at destabilizing the country.

Even before the announcement that a coup plot had been foiled there were signs that all was not well within the armed forces.

Three weeks ago there was another move against the ruling junta.

In Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger military men used a deteriorating security situation as justification for seizing power.

Thousands of UN troops and French soldiers are leaving the region after being ordered out.

There is a danger that Islamist militants are going to take advantage of all these changes and the insecurity in the Sahel will get even worse.

Newsday
BBC World Service

Image source, Right Livelihood Award

A Ghanaian doctor who is among this year’s winners of the Right Livelihood Award, widely known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize", says she hopes it’ll bring the world’s attention to the issue of unsafe abortions, especially in Africa.

Dr Eunice Brookman-Amissah has been recognised for “pioneering discussions on women’s reproductive rights in Africa and paving the way for liberalised abortion laws and improved safe abortion access”.

She told the BBC it was a “great honour” to be recognised and to receive the award, and hoped it would further strengthen their hand to safeguard the rights of women who “are dying every day” from unsafe abortions.

She said abortion “has been criminalised in most African countries, is not desirable and is taboo and a lot of stigma is attached to it”, adding that this prevented women from seeking help when they need it.

“Many health ministries don’t have the required services even when the law allows it so this leads to a lot of women undergoing unsafe abortions causing loss of lives and disabilities,” she told the BBC Newsday programme.

She gave an example of her own experience when a 14-year-old came to her seeking termination of her pregnancy. The girl died two days later from a botched abortion, “to my eternal shame”.

“From there on, I decided that I would find out what abortion law in my country says. I found out that she could have been saved because as a 14-year-old she had been statutory-raped and the law allowed for safe abortion for cases of rape,” she said.

It is just less than a year since Capt Ibrahim Traoré seized power during the second coup of 2022.

Paul Njie
BBC News, Yaoundé

Gabon’s interim prime minister says the time-frame for a transition to civilian rule will only be decided during a national dialogue to take place between April and June next year.

Speaking at a press conference, Raymond Ndong Sima revealed that the dialogue will also pave the way for the creation of a new constitution.

An appeal for proposals from “all categories” of the Gabonese population will be made next week, as a prelude to the national dialogue.

“Everyone has something to say. Men, women, old people, young people, people in housing estates, people in towns, in villages, everyone has an opinion and that's normal,” he said.

When the military ousted President Ali Bongo on 30 August, they promised to hand over power to civilians through elections by the end of the transitional period.

With no clear picture of how long it might take, the junta led by transitional President Brice Oligui Nguema will continue to rule the oil-rich Central African country until a timetable is established.

An artist who rose to fame as the first African-American artist to officially paint a US president – Barack Obama in 2018 - has now done the same for current and former African leaders.

Kehinde Wiley has done 11 paintings featuring a series of portraits of African heads of state, including Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, Nigerian former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde.

His exhibition, Kehinde Wiley, A Maze Of Power, has just opened at the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris, France and will run until January 2024.

The portraits were 10 years in the making, he says in a documentary about his work., external

Between 2012 and this year, he travelled around Africa meeting various leaders, discussing themes such as the history of aristocratic, royal and military portraiture in 17th to 19th Century Europe.

He used these discussions to inform his work, creating compositions which illustrate the singular view of each leader on what it means to be a contemporary African leader.

“This is a look at the presidency itself. This is an invitation for the viewer to expand the possibilities of what it means to look at art in Africa, about Africa, and about power.”

Here’s some of his work:

Image source, Photo Tanguy Beurdeley, ©️ Courtesy the artist and TEMPLON, Paris —Brussels — New York

Image source, Photo Tanguy Beurdeley, ©️ Courtesy the artist and TEMPLON, Paris —Brussels — New York

Image source, Photo Tanguy Beurdeley, ©️ Courtesy the artist and TEMPLON, Paris —Brussels — New York

Image source, AFP

Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia and Eritrea celebrated the start of the annual religious holiday Meskel, which marks the finding of the cross that Jesus was crucified on, by lighting the traditional bonfires.

According to Orthodox Christian tradition, the national holiday marks the finding of the cross that Jesus was crucified on.

Image source, AFP

According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, St Helena, the mother of 4th Century Roman Emperor Constantine, lit a bonfire and its smoke led her to the spot where the cross had been buried in Jerusalem.

Other variations of this story say the initial bonfire was so big it collapsed to one side - pinpointing the spot the cross was buried.

Image source, Yemane G. Meskel

Image source, AFP

Image source, Reuters

There is a lot of symbolism around the way the wood of the bonfire falls and what that says about the times ahead.

Image source, Yemane G. Meskel

Image source, AFP