Thomas Naadi
BBC News, Accra

The FBI and the Office of Ghana’s Special Prosecutor (OSP) are looking into the assets and financial transactions of embattled former minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her associates in the US.

In a post on social media app X, the OSP said: "This collaborative effort is to ascertain the lawfulness of Ms Dapaah and her associates' wealth, both in the context of their funds transitioning from Ghana to the United States and vice versa."

The former sanitation minister is currently under investigation by the OSP on allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences stemming from the discovery of over $1m (£813,300) in cash at her residence.

The money came to public attention after it was stolen by two domestic staff - and Ms Dapaah herself called the police.

She was forced to resign when some Ghanaians and MPs questioned the source of the money.

The former sanitation minister is now reported to have filed an application in court seeking to stop the Office of the Special Prosecutor from investigating her and her husband.

Ms Dapaah denies all allegations.

Read more:

• Ghana minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah reported a robbery. Why was she arrested?, external

Ameyu Etana
BBC Afaan Oromoo

Image source, FBC

The top student in this year’s national exams in Ethiopia has said she is "very pleased".

Hanan Neji may have excelled, but overall the national performance was one of the worst the country has ever seen.

Many Ethiopians have been expressing their shock over the mass failure rate after only 3.2% of students passed in the Grade 12 university entrance exams this year.

Only 27,000 of the 815,000 candidates who sat the exams will be able to directly go to university. Nearly half of all participating schools did not have a single student attaining the required pass mark, according to the education ministry.

But Ms Neji, from the capital, Addis Ababa, who scored 649 out of 700, told the BBC she was “very pleased” with the result.

“The exam was not tough. If you are prepared, it was an exam you could do,” she told the BBC, adding that many students had not prepared themselves well.

“There was no cheating and [many were not] able to do the exam. I think that’s why most students failed,’’ she said.

It is the second year in a row that Ethiopia has seen a mass failure of students. Last year, Education Minister Berhanu Nega called the results “shocking” after only 3.3% of nearly 900,000 students passed.

The number of students who reached the required pass mark this year is below the enrolling capacity of universities across the country.

The poor performance comes after authorities began sending students to university premises to sit their exams in order to stop cheating.

It is another headache for the country in the aftermath of a deadly war and other crises, with millions of children leaving school due to violence, drought and displacement.

Moses Kollie Garzeawu
Monrovia

Image source, EPA

George Weah, Liberia's president, will accept the result of Tuesday's general election, an official from his party has said.

Jefferson Koijee, secretary general of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change, told reporters: "This man has said many times that the peace of this country is above his own."

But Mr Koijee ruled out the possibility of defeat for Mr Weah, a 57-year-old former football star.

Election officials said the turnout for Liberia's fourth post-war was high.

Votes continue to be counted - the electoral commission will begin to release the results at 16:30 local time (17:30 BST).

Mr Weah is expected to face his strongest challenge from former Vice-President Joseph Boakai, 78, of the Unite Party. Mr Boakai was deputy to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf when she was president.

King Charles will acknowledge the "painful aspects" of the UK's history with Kenya when he makes a state visit to the East African country next month, his office says.

He will be joined by Camilla when he flies to Kenya following an invitation from President William Ruto, whose country is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its independence from Britain.

Kenya won independence from the UK in 1963 and the two nations have enjoyed a close relationship since.

Not forgotten, however, is the violent colonial legacy of the Mau Mau uprising which led to a period known as the Emergency.

Chris Fitzgerald, deputy private secretary to the King, said: "The King and Queen's programme will celebrate the close links between the British and Kenyan people in areas such as the creative arts, technology, enterprise, education and innovation.

"The visit will also acknowledge the more painful aspects of the UK and Kenya's shared history, including the Emergency (1952-1960).

"His Majesty will take time during the visit to deepen his understanding of the wrongs suffered in this period by the people of Kenya."

Read more:

• What is the Mau Mau uprising?
• British Mau Mau abuse papers revealed

Nobuhle Simelane
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, Getty Images

Three people caught up in the case of a rapist and murderer who escaped prison have had their charges withdrawn.

Thabo Bester managed to break out of a South African prison last year after faking his own death by setting fire to his cell.

The escape caused widespread outrage in South Africa, where local media dubbed him the "Facebook rapist" because he used the site to lure women with promises of jobs before attacking them.

On Wednesday, Bester and nine others had charges related to the escape confirmed, paving the way for the trial to go ahead.

Twelve people, including Bester, were initially charged in the prison escape case, but on Wednesday three had their charges withdrawn.

The state did not explain why the charges were dropped, but it is believed the charges against Nastaja Jansen, Thabang Mier and Moeketsi Ramulula were withdrawn due to lack of evidence.

While in court, Bester's legal team alleged that his telephone calls had been recorded by the Department of Correctional Service. The state denied any knowledge of this.

The court heard that the matter was ready to be transferred to the high court for pre-trial proceedings on 21 February next year.

Read more:

• How Thabo Bester faked his own death to escape prison

The deputy speaker calls the idea "devilish", saying it is not the way to tackle teenage pregnancy.

Nkechi Ogbonna
BBC News, Lagos

Image source, AFP

Nigeria has announced the suspension of all pilgrimages to Israel following the deadly violence that erupted over the weekend.

A group of Easter pilgrims was supposed to fly to Israel and Jordan on Tuesday, but the trip has been cancelled until further notice, the government's Christian Pilgrim Commission says.

“The war has created uncertainties in our planning for the main pilgrimage in December... we do hope the hostilities will end before the end of the year,” Sunny Udeh, the commission’s director for mobilisation and sensitisation, told the BBC.

On average, about 18,000 Christian pilgrims fly from Nigeria to religious sites in Israel and Jordan each year.

The commission said it would continue to monitor the situation in Israel as the safety of Nigerian pilgrims remained paramount.

Last Saturday, Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel. At least 1,200 Israelis have been killed in the ongoing hostilities, while at least 1,000 Palestinians have died following retaliatory strikes on Gaza Strip from Tel Aviv.

The Nigerian government has called for the “de-escalation of the hostilities and a ceasefire” between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters, while advocating for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue.

Despite the chaos, commercial flights to Tel Aviv from Nigeria have remained undisrupted.

More on this topic:

• Live updates: Gaza's power plant almost out of fuel as Israel troops mass at the border
• A simple guide to what is happening in Israel and Gaza

Turn-out was reportedly high in Tuesday's tightly contested presidential and parliamentary poll.

South Africa's flag will fly at the ongoing Rugby and Cricket World Cups after an appeal is submitted over a Wada deadline to update the country's anti-doping laws.

Niger's military rulers have demanded that the head of the United Nations' diplomatic mission in the country leave within 72 hours.

A statement from the West African nation's foreign ministry accused the UN of using "underhanded manoeuvres", instigated by France, to stop Niger fully participating in last month's UN General Assembly, as well as other international meetings.

The junta, which overthrew Niger's democratically president in July, has also kicked out French troops and the French ambassador.

More on this topic:

• 'France takes us for idiots' - Inside coup-hit Niger

Image source, Getty Images

All MPs from Zimbabwe's main opposition party have been suspended for six parliament sittings and will not receive salaries for the next two months.

Speaker Jacob Mudenda made the call after the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) held protests in parliament, saying 15 of its MPs had been tricked into losing their seats.

On Monday, a man pretending to be the CCC's secretary general wrote a letter to Speaker claiming the 15 MPs were no longer party members.

The party does not have a secretary general and the letter was littered with grammatical errors.

Despite CCC leader Nelson Chamisa asking him to disregard the letter, the Speaker, who is an MP for the ruling Zanu-PF party, declared the 15 seats vacant.

As a result of Mr Mudenda's decision, CCC MPs disrupted parliamentary proceedings for nearly two hours.

According to CCC politicians and local media, riot police were summoned to the chamber.

"It is a cowardly act by Zanu-PF speaker of parliament, Jacob Mudenda, to summon riot police and have our MPs beaten and injured following their defeat in a parliamentary debate.

"This kind of behaviour must be stopped to prevent potential instability in our country. The regime in Harare should not mistake our peaceful demeanour for weakness," the CCC tweeted, external.

The opposition party tweeted photos of the scuffles in parliament:

Image source, CCC

The case is likely to worsen political tensions, which have been running high in the southern African country since controversial presidential elections in August.

Mr Chamisa, 45, lost to incumbent 81-year-old president Emmerson Mnangagwa in a race that international observers said fell short of democratic standards.

He is being investigated over allegations of money laundering and misappropriation of public assets.

Paul Njie
BBC News, Yaoundé

Authorities in Cameroon have begun demolishing houses in the capital city's Mbankolo neighbourhood, which was devastated by a landslide on Sunday.

At least 30 people were killed and over 20 others sustained injuries after heavy rains caused a dam to burst in Yaoundé.

The area is still considered a "risk zone" by authorities, who are pulling down affected houses in case of another landslide.

Residents who live in these homes were given a 24-hour deadline to leave.

But local people, most of whom have lived in the impoverished neighbourhood for years, say they have nowhere else to go.

The government has provided temporary accommodation for victims of the disaster, while in a show of solidarity, other residents have opened their homes to those in need.

Some victims have received material assistance from the authorities, but others have told the BBC they have not been given any aid so far.

“They have not given my own mattress, but my name was there [on the list of victims]. My phone number is there but they have not called,” Ernest Bame said.

Allegations that Bola Tinubu's diplomas were fake went viral after the release of his certificates.

Muslims complained it was blasphemous to ask students to colour in a picture of the Islamic prophet.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, Getty Images

Mali's interim president and Russian president Vladimir Putin have discussed economic and security co-operation during a phone call.

“During a telephone conversation, I spoke to President Putin about our co-operation in the economic, security and counter-terrorism fields. I expressed my gratitude for all the support Russia is giving Mali,” Mali's Col Assimi Goita said in a statement published on X, external.

This was echoed by Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In a statement on Telegram, it said the two leaders "reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further enhance trade and economic relations, cooperation in providing security, and fighting terrorism. The Mali side expressed appreciation for the diverse assistance provided by Russia".

This is the third phone conversation between the two leaders in months.

Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group are playing a prominent role in the Malian army’s ongoing offensive against Tuareg ex-rebels in the town of Kidal, including the army's capture of the strategic town of Anefis on 6 October after days of heavy fighting.

Image source, Getty Images

A duel between history’s two fastest marathoners is shaping up at next year’s Olympics games in Paris.

Kelvin Kiptum, who set the fastest marathon time in history on Sunday, has said he is looking forward to race Eliud Kipchoge, who is renowned as the world’s greatest marathoner, and the previous world record holder.

“I am looking forward to competing with him (Kipchoge) if I will be selected to represent Kenya in the Olympics. I am ready to race with him,” the 23-year-old Kiptum said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Kiptum and Kipchoge, both Kenyans, hold the two fastest marathon times on record, 2:00:35 and 2:01:09 respectively.

Kipchoge has won the last two Olympic male marathons and has confirmed his desire to win a record third Olympics medal next year.

Kiptum has also expressed his interest in taking part in next year’s Olympics.

However, both will need to first be successfully selected for Kenya’s Olympics team.

Tom Bayly
BBC News

Image source, AFP

Vote counting is under way after polls closed in Liberia's presidential and parliamentary elections on Tuesday.

People in the West African nation voted to elect the president, members of the House of Representatives and half the Senate.

The incumbent president and former footballer George Weah, who's seeking a second term, is the favourite against 19 rivals for the presidency.

But he's expected to face a second-round runoff next month.

The electoral commission is due to begin publishing the first results today.

Image source, AFP

Three survivors and four relatives of the victims of a terrorist attack in Mozambique have sued the French multinational oil company TotalEnergies.

The survivors and relatives, who are British and South African, are accusing Total of involuntary manslaughter and negligence for failing to protect its subcontractors.

Dozens of people including TotalEnergies subcontractors were killed in March 2021 when Islamist militants attacked Mozambique’s port city of Palma.

The attack occurred near the site of a gas project partly owned by TotalEnergies.

Mozambique's government claimed that 30 people died in the attack but Alex Perry, an independent journalist who investigated the attack said 1,402 people died or went missing, including 55 Total workers.

The lawsuit claims that TotalEnergies failed to warn subcontractors working on the site about the risk of possible attacks.

The suit further accuses TotalEnergies of lacking proper safety or evacuation measures and refusing to fuel a helicopter that would have evacuated its personnel.

The complainants say the militants killed some TotalEnergies subcontractors while they fled their hotel.

"It is not alleged that TotalEnergies directly caused the deaths of victims but that the company did not act in accordance with the expected diligence standards of a professional in its responsibilities," a statement by their lawyers said.

TotalEnergies has dismissed the allegations of the survivors and victims’ families as "inaccurate", adding that it evacuated all its personnel on the site, the Reuters news agency reports.

Image source, Burundi central bank/X

Burundi’s recently dismissed central bank governor has been arrested on allegations of corruption.

Dieudonné Murengerantwari has been accused by the justice ministry of "undermining the proper functioning of the national economy, passive corruption, money laundering and misappropriation of public assets".

He has not responded to the allegations against him.

On Sunday, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye fired Mr Murengerantwari and replaced him with Édouard Normand Bigendako.

Mr Murengerantwari had been appointed to lead Burundi’s central bank for five years beginning in August last year.

Attorney General Leonard Manirakiza on Tuesday said that the charges against Mr Murengerantwari are not final and the investigation is still ongoing.

He also said that Mr Murengerantwari is being treated in accordance with the law while he remains in custody.