Egypt says it's directing international aid flights for Gaza through an airport in northern Sinai.

The north African nation is a key mediator between Israel and the Palestinians.

Cairo has asked Israel to avoid targeting the Rafah crossing from Egypt into Gaza, which was bombed several times earlier this week.

Other nations have offered their help in brokering an end to the crisis - including South Africa.

Multiple sources report that Egypt had warned Israel that an attack was brewing, days before Hamas launched its deadly cross-border raid into Israel. But Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu described the reports as "absolutely false".

Image source, Getty Images

A group representing small-scale farmers in Kenya has lost its court battle to stop genetically modified (GM) food being imported or grown in the country.

The judge ruled that there was a lack of evidence to show that GM technology harmed humans or the environment, and said that Kenya had "put in place a robust framework with inbuilt structures" to keep people safe.

The case had been filed by Kenyan lawyer Paul Mwangi and a lobby group, the Kenya Peasants League.

Last year, Kenya lifted a 10-year ban on maize, amid resistance from farmers and campaign groups.

It meant farmers could now openly cultivate GM crops, including the staple maize, as well as import GM-produced food and animal feeds.

The move was however suspended following the court case on grounds that the ban was un-procedural and unlawful. The petitioners also argued that GM products posed a health risk to Kenyans, especially the poor.

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

The South African authorities say they have uncovered a coal-smuggling syndicate that has played a major role in exacerbating the country's energy crisis.

The South African Revenue Service (Sars) led what was described as a search and seizure operation across five provinces where the smugglers are active - Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Limpopo.

The suspects include former employees of the state-owned electricity firm, Eskom.

A statement said the scam involved high-grade coal being sold off and replaced with a low-grade product which has been damaging power stations.

The issue of coal theft has been reported in South Africa's media for several years. It is widely felt that high-level corruption long prevented any action being taken to stop the scam.

Read more on South Africa's power problem:

• South Africa load-shedding: The roots of Eskom's power problem

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, UN

The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo says it has suspended some of its peacekeepers in response to reports of serious misconduct.

It said it had a policy of zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse.

AFP news agency reports the accusations are against eight South African peacekeepers.

The Monusco mission has faced previous accusations of sexual abuse.

It has more than 14,000 troops in eastern DR Congo.

In recent years there have been several protests against the UN which is accused of failing to protect civilians against attacks by numerous armed groups.

Temperatures could soar to 44C, the weather bureau says, as it urges people to avoid alcohol.

A health official says it is "heart-wrenching" to see children suffer from a preventable disease.

Image source, AFP

Mali's ruling junta says they are still examining Air France's request to resume flights to the country.

Relations between former colonial power France and Russia-allied Mali have hit rock bottom since the 2020 military coup.

This August, France's national airline stopped flying to Mali in the wake of the military coup in neighbouring Niger.

Earlier this week Air France said it would start flying to Mali again from Friday onwards, saying it had reached a deal with the transitional authorities.

But this was later contradicted by Mali's transport ministry, which said it was still considering Air France's request to start flying to the country and it remained suspended for the time being.

Mali also accused the airline of having "unilaterally suspended" flights earlier without properly informing the authorities and customers beforehand. Air France has since said it is postponing flights to and from Mali until further notice.

Perpetue Mukamusinga, Rwanda's first female barista, is on a mission to stir up the coffee sector.

Namibia coach Collin Benjamin says teams at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will have to be 'really good' to beat his Brave Warriors.

The wife of Gabon's deposed President, Ali Bongo Odimba, has been jailed, her lawyer has told the AFP news agency.

Sylvia Bongo, who had been under house arrest, was accused of embezzling public funds. Her husband was forced from office on 30 August.

Lawyer Francois Zimeray told AFP that her jailing on Wednesday was "arbitrary" and an "illegal procedure".

Mrs Bongo was last month charged with money laundering, receiving stolen property, forgery and the use of forgery.

Her son Noureddin Bongo Valentin has also been charged with corruption, embezzlement and placed in pre-trial detention.

The military seized power soon after Ali Bongo was declared the winner of Gabon's presidential election.

He had been in office since 2009 when he succeeded his father who had ruled the country for 41 years.

South Africa is ready to mediate in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian territories, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

He is calling for an immediate ceasefire and says his country can draw on its experience of conflict resolution in Africa and beyond, Mr Ramaphosa added in the statement on Thursday.

The South African president said the atrocities against civilians were deeply concerning, and called for the immediate and unconditional opening of humanitarian corridors to reach people in need.

Electricity, water and fuel supplies to the Gaza strip have been cut off by Israeli authorities, who say they will only end the blockade once all Israeli hostages are returned, external.

Paul Njie
BBC News, Yaoundé

Image source, Getty Images

Cameroonian authorities have denied abandoning victims of the deadly landslides in the capital, Yaoundé.

Sunday's landslide in the low-income Mbankolo neighbourhood left at least 31 people dead and destroyed homes, displacing families.

The local administrator in charge of coordinating emergency assistance said people complaining of not having a place to stay had chosen not to go to the temporary accommodation provided by the government.

Daouda Ousmanou told the BBC that some homeless victims opted to join their family members elsewhere, while about 16 others were being taken care of at a centre several kilometres away from the disaster site.

"These people are taken care of, but not all the victims are at the resettlement site," he said.

But some victims have said they still have not received any aid.

"All persons listed receive their aid after in-depth verification," insisted Mr Ousmanou, adding that other people from elsewhere had been claiming the government aid.

So far, Cameroonian authorities say about 40 families have received assistance from the government, and more had been expecting to get theirs on Wednesday.

Nkechi Ogbonna
West Africa business journalist, BBC News

Image source, AFP

Ghana's annual inflation rate has seen a small decline of two percentage points and in the 12 months to September prices rose by just over 38%.

The country's statistics body on Wednesday said food prices remain the main driver of the inflation rate.

The West African country is facing its worst economic hardship in over a generation marked by a cost-of-living crisis and huge public debt.

The government introduced tough measures including increasing utility tariffs, a review of existing taxes and the introduction of new ones to boost domestic revenue.

In May, the cocoa and gold-rich country secured a $3bn (£2.4bn) loan from the IMF to help ease the economic problems it faces.

Image source, Ge

The authorities in South Africa's Western Cape province are searching for six prisoners who escaped from the holding cell of a magistrates' court

One of the prisoners has been arrested but the other five are still on the run.

Authorities say that the prisoners, aged between 20 and 33, are "armed and dangerous".

The prisoners were waiting to be transported to a correctional detention facility after appearing in court earlier on Wednesday.

"Preliminary investigation suggests that the detainees overpowered one of the police officials and disarmed him. Several shots were fired in the direction of the police officials, but no-one was hit or wounded," police spokesman Malcolm Pojie told South Africa's News 24 outlet.

He added that the offenders escaped on foot.

The offenders were on trial for multiple serious charges, including murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and assault.

Following their escape, the authorities have further charged them with escape from lawful custody, attempted murder and robbery of a firearm.

Image source, Getty Images

The international athletics governing body World Athletics has nominated three African athletes for this year’s Women’s World Athlete of the Year award.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon - as well as Tigst Assefa and Gudaf Tsegay who are both Ethiopian - are among the 11 female athletes put forward for this year’s awards, after displaying some remarkable recent performances.

Assefa won the Berlin marathon in September, setting a new marathon world record.

Tsegay set a world record in the 5,000m.

Athletics watchers are backing Kipyegon as the strong favourite to win the award after the 29-year-old's dominant year, during which she set three new world records.

According to Wanda Diamond League, Ms Kipyegon's record-breaking season has positioned her as "the first athlete in Diamond League history to break a world record in multiple disciplines and the first to break more than one world record in a single season".

Kenyan-born Winfred Yavi, who switched her nationality to represent Bahrain, is also in contention for the prestigious award.

The winners will be announced on 11 December after votes by fans and World Athletics officials are counted.

Image source, AFP

Kenya will end a six-year agreement that allowed more than 100 Cuban doctors to work in Kenyan hospitals.

Health Minister Susan Nakhumicha said on Wednesday that the move will help address challenges faced by Kenyan health workers, including the lack of employment opportunities.

“We have decided not to renew the agreement with the Cuban doctors. Our very own healthcare professionals are committed to the cause,” she said.

A 2017 deal established an exchange programme in which Cuban doctors would help fill the gap in county hospitals while Kenyans would travel to Cuba for specialised medical training.

It was unpopular with Kenyan medical professionals, who argued that local doctors had the requisite training just as their Cuban counterparts did.

There were also concerns that the Kenyan government was paying the Cuban professionals much more than their Kenyan counterparts – even as some locally trained doctors remained unemployed.

Doctors and other health workers in Kenya have often gone on strike to demand higher wages, better working conditions and for more doctors to be hired.

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The state visit will come on the 60th anniversary of the country's independence from the UK.

That's all for now from the BBC Africa Live team - we'll be back on Thursday 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 Wednesday's wise words:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this picture of Liberian banana vendors carrying their fruit through the derelict EJ Roye skyscraper in the capital, Monrovia.

Image source, AFP

Ish Mafundikwa
Harare

Image source, Getty Images

Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, the Citizen’s Coalition for Change (CCC), has rebuffed reports that its president, Nelson Chamisa, has been expelled from the party.

The rumour followed a "press statement" supposedly issued by Sengezo Tshabangu, who purports to be the party’s interim secretary-general.

The statement announced Mr Chamisa's expulsion for a litany of charges, including embezzlement of party funds and nepotism.

The document is the subject of much social media debate, with some suggesting a party split is imminent.

This is despite FactCheckZW, external, a website that seeks to verify reports, dismissing the statement as a fake.

CCC’s spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi told the BBC that Mr Tshabangu was not a member of the party but a “minion” of the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Mr Mkwananzi said Mr Chamisa was “in full control of the party” and presided over a Citizens' National Assembly meeting on Wednesday.

The assembly, said to be the highest decision-making body in the party, discussed a turbulent few days for the party in which a letter written by Mr Tshabangu led to 15 CCC members losing their parliamentary seats. Protests in parliament then led to the suspension of all CCC MPs for six sittings and the docking their pay.

The assembly said the CCC's legal department would give the Speaker of parliament two weeks to rescind the recall of the 15 CCC members.

Should the Speaker refuse to comply with their request, Mr Mkwananzi said the party's MPs and councillors would "disengage" from parliament and local councils and it would "activate" unspecified "citizens' actions".