Ed Habershon
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, Reuters

South Africa’s Constitutional Court has ruled that convicted killer Oscar Pistorius has served more than half his sentence for the 2013 murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, which means he is technically eligible for parole.

It found that the former athlete, also known as the “Blade Runner”, passed the halfway mark on 21 March this year.

Pistorius was sentenced to six years in 2016, but that sentence was increased to 13 years and five months in 2017.

A parole hearing was arranged for last March, but it collapsed after the correctional services department (DCS) said he hadn’t served half his sentence as required for parole. On Monday, the Constitutional Court overturned that decision.

The confusion stems from the fact that Pistorius's time in prison has been broken up by appeals and by a period of house arrest.

In a statement, the DCS said it would study the court's ruling.

BBC Arabic's Sudan Lifeline radio

Image source, Reuters

A resident of Nyala, in Sudan’s western Darfur region, has described a disturbing picture of life there as the two sides in the country’s conflict continue to fight it out.

The region has seen some of the fiercest fighting in the nearly six-month war, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

The witness, who spoke to the BBC’s Sudan Lifeline programme on condition of anonymity, said clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces were centred around the headquarters of the armed forces in the city.

“Both sides used light, medium, as well as heavy weapons such as missiles, among many others,” the resident said.

“As for the conditions in the city, they can be described generally as catastrophic, as there is a complete power outage, and all communication services provided by all the different companies are cut.

“The people are demanding the intervention of organisations or even third parties that can urge the two parties to stop fighting so that they can get their daily needs by going to the markets or shops located within the neighbourhoods.

“Today, the people are afraid to go even to these shops for fear of indiscriminate shooting, which has become like rain pouring down here and there on the city’s roads.

“The city has become almost empty of residents, except for a few of them who do not have enough money that could help them move to other places or buy the travel tickets to and from Nyala.”

Read more on the situation in Darfur:

• Sudan Darfur crisis: 'Everything civilians can use has been burned or destroyed'

Kenyan authorities have arrested two police officers who were found trafficking 13 people from Ethiopia using a police vehicle.

According to local media, the officers were transporting eight Ethiopians, four Eritreans and a Sudanese national in a vehicle belonging to Kenya's Border Police Unit.

The officers, who were armed with police-issued firearms, were intercepted in Kenya's north-western county of Turkana, which borders Ethiopia.

Authorities say that they also detained the foreigners, who will likely be arraigned in a Kenyan court or repatriated to their countries.

The foreigners said that they were transiting through Kenya on their way to South Africa.

Burkina Faso's security forces have killed a fugitive commander wanted for his role in last month's reported coup attempt, state-owned RTB TV reported on Sunday.

Ismael Tohobougou was implicated in the plot and had been on the run after being summoned by the military prosecutor for questioning, the report said.

He was among military officers accused of taking part in a failed coup against Capt Ibrahim Traoré.

The coup reports sparked pro-junta protests across the country.

The country's defence ministry on Friday announced the suspension of several army officers linked to the attempt. The chief of staff of the national gendarmerie, Lt Col Evrard Somda, was also dismissed and replaced by Lt Col Kouagri Natama.

Burkina Faso has been in a political crisis since the military toppled elected President Roch Marc Kaboré in early 2022.

Paul Njie
BBC News, Yaoundé

The death toll from Sunday’s landslide in Cameroon’s capital Yaoundé has risen to 30, with 17 others injured, says the country’s interior minister, who was on site to assess the damage.

Several homes in Mbankolo, an impoverished neighbourhood, were reduced to rubble following heavy rains. There are fears that several people are still trapped under the ruins.

“We just put a team that will work all day long to continue finding people,” Housing Minister Celestine Ketcha Courtès told the BBC.

Among those rescued, was a three-month-old baby. Authorities have asked inhabitants to vacate the neighbourhood, which is considered a risk zone, for fear of another landslide there.

Locals told the BBC the incident occurred when rains overflowed from a local reservoir.

Some people who lost everything in the incident say they have nowhere else to go.

Ian Wafula
Security reporter, BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Reuters

Kenya's police have begun selection of officers ahead of the planned deployment to Haiti, which still needs parliamentary approval.

A document seen by the BBC from the head of the police force requests with urgency a list of names from the General Service Unit - the paramilitary wing of the police force.

It also details the requirements needed by the prospective officers.

These include:

• Minimum of five years service
• Aged between 20 and 55 years old
• Proficiency in English
• And ability to handle firearms safely

The Kenyan constitution requires the government to get the go-ahead from parliament before deploying forces internationally.

Discussions among MPs could not begin last week as there were not enough lawmakers present.

Speaking on Sunday, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said there would be no shortcuts or violation of the constitution when it comes to getting approval for the deployment.

Kenya had offered to lead a multinational police force to the Caribbean nation to quell mounting gang violence. The country pledged 1,000 of its officers to help restore order.

The UN Security Council gave the green light to the mission following a call for help from the Haitian government.

Read more on this story:

• Haiti crisis: Can Kenyan police officers defeat the gangs?

Richard Hamilton
BBC World Service Newsroom

Britain's Supreme Court has begun three days of hearings about the government's plan to send some asylum seekers, who cross the English Channel, to Rwanda.

The case has been brought after the Court of Appeal ruled by a majority that the scheme broke the law.

The government is expected to argue that human rights law is on its side, because of assurances given by Rwanda that it is a safe country.

It's opposed by 10 of the migrants selected for transportation, and the United Nations refugee agency.

Read more on this story:

• Rwanda Supreme Court showdown: What do we know?

Alfred Lasteck
BBC News, Dar es Salaam

Tanzania’s embassy in Israel is trying to trace the whereabouts of two Tanzanian students said to be missing in the region of Israel which was hit by the Hamas attack at the weekend.

Ambassador Alex Kallua told BBC that his mission has been been in contact with approximately 350 Tanzanians around the country, most of them students.

"We understand that there are two students missing in south Israel where the situation is not ok. The two were on their internship pursuing agri-business studies," he said.

“We believe the two are fine and hope to get them safe. The embassy is also closely monitoring the situation to have everyone safe,” he added

There are around 350 Tanzanians living in Israel including around 260 students pursuing agricultural programmes, according to the embassy.

Go here for live coverage of events in Israel-Gaza.

Image source, AFP

Kenya's Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki says MPs will have a final say on the government's plans to deploy about 1,000 police officers to combat criminal gangs in Haiti.

The UN Security Council last week approved the deployment of the Kenyan-led force.

"Article 240 of the constitution requires parliament to approve deployment of security forces to any peacekeeping mission in foreign nations," Mr Kindiki said on Sunday.

He also tried to allay fears of possible human rights abuses in the deployment of the Kenyan police officers to the Caribbean nation.

Several rights organisations both in Kenya and internationally have expressed criticism of the deployment.

Main opposition leader Raila Odinga has opposed the move, saying the deployment would risk the lives of Kenyan police.

Read more on the proposed Haiti deployment:

• Haiti crisis: Can Kenyan police officers defeat the gangs?

BBC World Service

Image source, PA Media

Britain's Supreme Court is due to begin three days of hearings about the government's plan to send some asylum seekers, who cross the English Channel, to Rwanda.

The case is being brought by the government, after the Court of Appeal ruled by a majority that the scheme broke the law.

The appeal will face opposition from 10 of the migrants selected for transportation, and the UN refugee agency.

The government is expected to argue that human rights law is on its side, because of the detailed assurances Rwanda has given.

Read more on the story here.

Several passengers were injured when a bus hit an elephant crossing a busy highway along a national park in Kenya, local media are reporting.

The elephant died on the spot, while the injured people were taken for treatment at a nearby hospital.

The bus is said to have been travelling from the coastal city of Mombasa to the capital, Nairobi, on Saturday night when the accident happened along the Tsavo National Park, which straddles both sides of the highway.

Local residents are said to have scrambled for the elephant meat following the accident, resulting in chaos, the Nation newspaper reports.

Rangers and officials of the Kenya Wildlife Service later arrived at the scene to defuse the situation.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, Reuters

African leaders called on warring parties in the Israel-Gaza conflict to halt deadly confrontations that erupted on 7 October when the Palestinian Hamas militant group launched a surprise assault.

The reaction has not been entirely uniform with Zambia, Kenya and Ghana more explicitly condemning Hamas and backing Israel, and Sudan, Djibouti and South Africa being clear about their support for the Palestinians.

Despite Israel growing its diplomatic presence on the continent in the last decade and plans by several African countries to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israel has not fully consolidated its support in Africa in this latest conflict.

The African Union highlighted in statements in French , externaland English , externalthat the confrontations were underpinned by the "denial of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, particularly that of an independent and sovereign state".

"The chairperson urgently appeals to both parties to put an end to military hostilities and to return, without conditions, to the negotiating table to implement the principle of two States living side by side, to safeguard the interests of the Palestinian people and the Israeli people," AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki added.

Israel has previously sought to take part in AU meetings as an observer, sparking some backlash.

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni also called for warring parties to return to the "two states solution" in a statement on 7 October, where he said he regretted the violence.

Mr Museveni hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2016 and 2020 in efforts to improve relations between the two countries. The Ugandan leader also brokered the normalisation of relations between Israel and Sudan in 2020.

However, Sudan's foreign ministry backed the Palestinians in the wake of renewed confrontations.

"Sudan is following with concern the dangerous developments currently taking place in occupied Palestine. Sudan renews its support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to have their independent state. It calls for adherence to international resolutions and the protection of innocent civilians," a statement published on the Facebook page , externalof state news agency Suna said.

South Africa called for an "immediate ceasefire".

"The region is in desperate need of a credible peace process that delivers on the calls of a plethora of previous UN resolutions for a two-state solution and a just and comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine," the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said on its official Facebook page , externalon 7 October.

Meanwhile, Nigeria warned that , external"the cycle of violence and retaliation that the current escalation has assumed only serves to perpetuate an unending cycle of pain and suffering for the civilian population, that bear the brunt of every conflict".

Kenya's President William Ruto urged the warring parties to de-escalate as "casualties continue to rise".

"Kenya strongly maintains that there exists no justification whatsoever for terrorism, which constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security. All acts of terrorism and violent extremism are abhorrent, criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of the perpetrator, or their motivations," he said on X, external.

Zambia's Foreign Affairs Minister Stanley Kakubo backed Israel in a statement condemning the Hamas attacks.

"We strongly condemn the recent attacks on Israel, which have regrettably resulted in the loss of lives. We unequivocally denounce all acts of aggression and violence, and continue to emphasise the necessity of pursuing diplomatic means to resolving international conflicts," he said on X, external.

Image source, Bobi Wine

Ugandan police and military officers have blocked the main office of the National Unity Platform (NUP), the party led by opposition politician Bobi Wine.

“There is heavy military deployment at our secretariat in Kamwokya, and they are currently off limits,” the NUP party shared in a post on X on Monday.

Bobi Wine has also said that the officers raided the party headquarters and have stopped people from entering or leaving the premises.

The musician-turned-politician said on social media that the blockade by the security officers is aimed at stopping a prayer event that the NUP planned to hold at its Kampala office on Monday.

The prayers were intended for the party's “dead, detained and disappeared comrades”.

Last week, police escorted Bobi Wine to his home after he returned to Uganda from South Africa, saying that the move was to prevent him from organising a march.

They also detained dozens of Bobi Wine's followers on allegations that they incited violence and planned an illegal procession.

Bobi Wine has criticised the security officers for the blockade, which coincides with Uganda's independence day.

"While they do this, they will shamelessly gather today to celebrate 'independence' even when they behave worse than the colonialists," he said.

Yasine Mohabuth
Port Louis, Mauritius

Image source, Reuters

Dozens of Mauritian pilgrims are stranded in Bethlehem following the latest conflict between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel, the foreign ministry said.

The group include 36 members, mainly from the Catholic parish of St-Hélène in the second biggest city of Curepipe.

Father Gérard Mongelard, who is accompanying them, said the parishioners are doing well and are currently staying in a hotel in Bethlehem.

They were due to take a flight on Sunday evening to Turkey, from where they were to return home.

However, many airlines cancelled flights in the wake of the Hamas military offensive on Israel.

Nkechi Ogbonna
West Africa business journalist, BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Niger's government has been forced to cut its budget by 40% over the impact of sanctions and suspension of aid after the 26 July coup. There are fears that the sanctions may worsen the economic situation in Niger - one of the world’s poorest countries.

In a statement on Saturday, the military junta announced a 2023 budget cut from $5.3bn (£4.3bn) to $3.2bn, although details of the cuts are lacking.

At least 40% of the West African country's budget support this year was expected to come from external partners.

The coup which ousted President Mohamed Bazoum attracted regional and international sanctions including border closures, frozen assets and halted aid supplies.

The import-dependent country has recorded soaring food and commodity prices and a limited supply of medicines, owing to trade restrictions.

Though the coup received widespread condemnation in the region, there have been several rallies to support the junta in the country. Neighbouring military governments, including Mali and Burkina Faso, also supported the coup.

Paul Njie
BBC News, Yaoundé

Many people are feared dead and others missing in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, after landslides destroyed several homes in Mbankolo area.

It followed heavy rainfall across the city on Sunday evening.

State media are reporting that at least 13 people have died from the disaster, with the figure expected to rise.

Rescue operations are continuing at the site with the number of those who are unaccounted for after the disaster still not clear.

In November last year, a landslide in the capital killed at least 14 people attending a funeral.

In neighbouring Nigeria on Sunday, floods alerts were issued in several states attributing this to the rapid release of water from a dam in River Benue which flows from Cameroon.

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