Moses Kollie Garzeawu
Journalist, Monrovia

Image source, EPA

Nine temporary staff, who were helping oversee Liberia's 10 October presidential and parliamentary polls, have been arrested for vote tampering and electoral malpractices, the election commission has said.

National Elections Commission Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lassanah told journalists in Monrovia that the temporary staff were arrested in Grand Cape Mount county and in Montserrado county.

But she reassured Liberians "that the attempted malpractices were corrected and they in no way affected the outcome of the elections".

With almost all the votes counted in the presidential election, incumbent George Weah and former Vice-President Joseph Boakai are neck-and-neck and the election is expected to go into a run-off.

Ben Miller
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Algeria's football federation announced on Wednesday that it was suspending all football competitions and matches "in solidarity with the Palestinian people" during the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The governing body had previously agreed to host the Palestine national team's forthcoming football matches following a request from the Palestinian FA.

Algeria international Riyad Mahrez, who won the Premier League title five times before joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli from Manchester City in July, shared a photo on social media of himself holding the Palestinian flag, external on the pitch after his country’s 5-1 home friendly win over Cape Verde last Thursday.

Teammates Said Benrahma, of West Ham United, and Ahmed Touba, of Istanbul Basaksehir, joined Mahrez to hold the flag in a picture he captioned: “We want peace.”

Mahrez and Algeria shared a 1-1 draw in Abu Dhabi on Monday with Egypt, whose captain, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, called on "world leaders to come together to prevent further slaughter of innocent souls" on Tuesday.

Ian Wafula
Security reporter, BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Reuters

A coalition of civil societies in the Democratic Republic of Congo has held a protest in Goma calling for the exit of a combined East African force from the east of the country over its failure to deal with the M23 rebels.

In November last year, Kenya, Burundi, Uganda and South Sudan sent troops to DR Congo, under the banner of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF), to try and disarm the rebel group and bring peace.

The M23 has continued to hold some towns and villages in North Kivu province. Seven people were killed earlier this month in the area.

Last week, DR Congo spokesperson Patrick Muyaya confirmed to the BBC that his government would not be renewing the EACRF mandate.

He said that Congolese troops would do a better job adding that the EACRF should leave at the end of the mandate in December.

In a recent statement the East African Community said its forces were dedicated to working closely with the government enabling the safe return of internally displaced persons to their homes and enhancing the overall protection of civilians.

Goma has also seen deadly protests against the UN mission in the country.

More than 6.2 million people have been forced from their homes in the east of the country and are living elsewhere in DR Congo, and another one million have sought asylum mostly within Africa, according to the UN's refugee agency.

More on this topic:

• M23 conflict: Why Kenyan troops joined the battle

Danai Nesta Kupemba
BBC News

Image source, AFP

The widow of a prominent Pakistani journalist is suing the Kenyan government for the “targeted assassination” of her husband.

Javeria Siddique filed a lawsuit in Nairobi on Wednesday for the wrongful murder of Arshad Sharif.

The journalist was shot and killed a year ago by officers of Kenya’s elite police force - the General Service Unit (GSU).

The officers involved in the incident said it was a case of mistaken identity, but the widow has disputed the GSU’s claim.

"They can call it mistaken identity, but I consider it a 'planned targeted killing' because the threat Arshad received in Pakistan was executed in Kenya," Ms Siddique told BBC Urdu.

She added: "Whatever the reason may be, if they are admitting that they killed him, they should also be punished."

"I hope that the Kenyan courts will give us justice," she said.

She told the AP news agency that she believed her husband’s killing was linked to his criticism of the Pakistani military.

Sharif had moved to Kenya in August 2022 to avoid multiple arrest and sedition charges.

Ms Siddique is quoted by AP as saying that the Kenyan government never contacted her and never “showed any kindness”, adding, “It is really cruel for a government to be so insensitive”.

The lawsuit states that Ms Siddique wants the police, attorney general and director of public prosecutions “to punish and prosecute the police officers who killed her husband”.

Ms Siddique also wants the attorney general to “issue a public apology, including an acknowledgement of the facts, and acceptance of responsibility” for the death of Sharif.

Last year, Pakistani investigators published a 592-page report following the killing of Sharif and concluded that the Kenyan police issued contradictory statements regarding the case.

The Islamabad authorities charged two Kenya-based Pakistani businessmen who hosted Sharif with involvement in the killing in December 2022.

Pakistan’s military has denied any involvement.

Read more on the background to this story:

• Arshad Sharif: Mystery over killing of Pakistani journalist in Kenya

Africa's new elite club competition, the African Football League, kicks off on Friday - but what exactly is it?

William Ruto has faced a backlash over plans to introduce a new health levy on employers and employees.

Image source, Getty Images

Kenyans have been expressing outrage after authorities destroyed goods being sold by street traders in the capital, Nairobi, prompting an apology from the governor.

Images of sausages and eggs strewn on the streets have been widely shared online. Some of the food vendors are seen standing by, counting their losses as their trolleys are impounded and loaded onto a lorry.

Kenyans have rallied in support of the traders - including initiating campaigns to raise money for one hawker whose trolley was vandalised.

Many are blaming the county authorities for being “cruel” and “unfriendly” against hustlers - as ordinary Kenyans struggling to survive in a harsh economy are known.

President William Ruto campaigned and won the last year's election after promising to champion the interests of the hustlers.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has apologised, saying the Wednesday morning events were “most unfortunate” - promising disciplinary action against officers involved.

He said each trader would be compensated with 10,000 Kenyan shillings ($65; £55) and ordered the release of all goods that had been confiscated.

“Even if the traders were operating without the required documentation... that every food handler must have for the safety of Nairobians, they did not deserve such treatment and we are dealing with this internally,” he said on X, external, formerly known as Twitter.

Nobuhle Simelane
BBC News, Johannesburg

Top South African opposition figure Julius Malema and his co-accused Adriaan Snyman have failed in their bid to have charges related to the violation of the Firearms Act withdrawn against them.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader is alleged to have fired a gun in public in 2018 that had allegedly been handed over to him by his bodyguard Mr Snyman.

The two had pleaded not guilty to all six charges levelled against them.

Mr Malema addressed his supporters outside court in East London following the judgement and accused the judge of being biased.

Image source, X

A historic synagogue in Tunisia has been heavily damaged amid anti-Israel protests.

A video and images widely shared on social media showed hundreds of protesters setting fire to the synagogue in the central Tunisian city of Al Hammah.

It is said to have happened soon after the deadly blast in Gaza on Tuesday that killed hundreds of people, which has been blamed on Israel by most of the Arab world. Israel attributed it to a misfired rocket by a Palestinian militant group.

The synagogue, previously damaged in the 2011 Arab Spring protests, is not an active worship site. It houses the tomb of a 16th Century rabbi and was a historic pilgrimage site.

The American Jewish Committee said in a statement on Wednesday, external that it was “horrified by the burning and destruction” of the synagogue.

“Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of Tunisia's Jewish community. We are closely monitoring the situation and are in close contact with community leaders,” it said.

Tunisia has a long Jewish history - Jewish people were present in North Africa before the arrival of Islam or Christianity.

Of the 100,000 that were there before the creation of Israel in 1948, only about 1,500 remain.

More on this topic:

• Tunisia Jews: A tiny community hanging on - and cooking

Tributes are being paid to the singer, with fans saying he had a "golden voice".

Image source, ICC

The prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has dropped all charges against Maxime Mokom, who has been in the court's custody since March last year.

He was accused of several crimes including directing attacks against civilians, murder and rape while being part of the anti-Balaka militant movement in the Central African Republic between 2013 and 2014.

He had denied the charges and said he joined the group for the sake of peace not war.

According to the ICC, the violence by anti-Balaka and rival mainly Muslim Seleka militia in the CAR left thousands dead and more than 100,000 displaced.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said that having considered the evidence and "regarding the availability of witnesses, he... concluded that there are no longer any reasonable prospects of conviction at trial even if the charges were confirmed", an ICC statement said.

“We must be unwavering in our commitment to only proceed with cases that present a realistic prospect of conviction," he added.

Paul Njie
BBC News

Image source, EPA

Gabon’s military leader Gen Brice Oligui Nguema has said he is giving up his salary as president and will only receive a wage as commander of the republican guard.

He became the interim president following the overthrow of President Ali Bongo in August.

Wednesday night's announcement was made by the junta spokesperson, who said Gen Nguema took the decision because he was "aware of the social emergencies and many expectations of the Gabonese people".

“Each day that passes allows the [junta] to become more aware of the general state of deterioration of the country and of public finances in particular,” Col Ulrich Manfoumbi said.

Deposed President Bongo’s 14-year rule was marred by allegations of corruption and other financial scandals, with the junta saying the country’s finances are “victim of a real criminal fury”.

Apart from renouncing his salary as president, Gen Nguema also decided to reduce public spending by slashing the allowances for lawmakers, eliminating political funds and cutting session allowances. The presidency said this would consolidate the state’s funds.

The latest move has been seen as an attempt to restore the Gabonese people’s confidence in the country’s leadership.

Read more on the aftermath of the Gabon coup:

• Gabon coup: Can Gen Ngeuma usher in a new era?

Makuochi Okafor
BBC News

Chad has confirmed one death from an outbreak of dengue fever with more than 1,342 suspected cases so far, including 41 that have been confirmed,

These figures are up to the beginning of October - covering the period since the country declared dengue outbreak in August, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Chad's health ministry is currently responding to the outbreak amid concerns of the disease spreading further because of limited capabilities for surveillance and response.

The Abéché health district, in the south-eastern Ouaddai province, is the epicentre of the current outbreak.

Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes and often causes mild flu-like symptoms, with no specific treatment. Timely detection and management are vital.

Cases in communities are likely to be under-reported because clinicians often confuse its symptoms with other infections, making early diagnosis challenging, especially in areas with limited testing facilities.

The WHO classes the outbreak as a high national-level risk due to favourable environmental conditions for mosquito spread and an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region involving influx of refugees from Sudan.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, AFP

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky have affirmed their shared desire for a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The two held talks on Tuesday at the request of the Ukrainian president, the South African presidency said in a statement on Wednesday.

It said Mr Ramaphosa welcomed Mr Zelensky commitment to the revival of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and both leaders pledged to continue working together on that.

Russia pulled out of the grain initiative - brokered by the UN and Turkey in July 2022 - which allowed the export of grain from Ukraine ports to global markets.

Ukraine has since proposed the establishment of grain hubs in African ports.

Last month, Kenyan President William Ruto said that Ukraine had agreed to set up a grain hub in the port of Mombasa to supply the east African region.

Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan were among countries that benefited from the Black Sea Grain deal.

During the talks, Mr Ramaphosa also committed his country's commitment to active engagement in the Africa Peace Initiative - presented earlier this year by seven African leaders as a possible basis for peace.

He also committed to the participation of his country for talks in the peace formula outlined by Ukraine - that are held at the level of national security advisers.

Turkish firm Karpowership puts the lights back on after the government partially settles a $15m debt.

Image source, AFP

All beaches have been closed in the South African port city of Durban following heavy rains that affected the sea water near the coast.

The two-day rains washed logs and other debris into the sea, while shark nets at most beaches were damaged, making beaches unsafe for public use, authorities said.

Residents have, however, been allowed to enjoy other activities along the beach that do not require them to come into contact with sea water.

KwaZulu-Natal province's disaster management teams said they evacuated several people whose homes were damaged by the rain.

Efforts are under way to fix the nets and infrastructure that were damaged by the torrential downpours in parts of the province.

The South African Weather Service had on Monday issued a storm warning for disruptive rains, which led to the flooding.

At least 11 people were killed after heavy rain and winds hit the Western Cape province last month.

Steve Vickers
BBC Africa, Harare

Image source, Getty Images

Zimbabwe national women’s football team coach Shadreck Mlauzi, who faces two charges of indecent assault, was granted bail on Wednesday.

Mlauzi is alleged to have molested a female member of the technical team on two occasions - the first at the team’s training camp for the regional Cosafa Women’s Championship, which ended in South Africa on Sunday, and the second during the tournament.

Mlauzi had first appeared in court on Tuesday and was asked not to plead and had been remanded in custody.

He is now due back in court on Friday 27 October.

Zimbabwe has just emerged from an 18-month Fifa suspension, with issues of sexual abuse at the heart of it.

The decision by the government-appointed Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to suspend the board of the Zimbabwe Football Association led to the suspension from world football’s governing body.

Reasons for the SRC's intervention included the need to investigate alleged sexual harassment of female referees by technical staff and a drive to improve the conditions and treatment of women’s national teams.

Image source, AFP

Turkish company Karpowership has restored power to Guinea-Bissau's capital after shutting off supplies for nearly two days.

The company had cut off power to Bissau in the early hours of Tuesday over an unpaid bill of at least $15m (£12m), plunging the city into darkness.

A Karpowership spokesperson told the BBC that the company was able to resume operations after receiving a payment from the government.

“We are grateful for the government’s efforts to resolve the fuel payments which have allowed for us to restart operations swiftly and continue to provide the people of Guinea-Bissau with electricity,” the spokesperson said.

Energy Minister Isuf Baldé said $6m of the $15m bill had been paid.

The spokesperson of Karpowership, which has been supplying power to Guinea-Bissau since 2019, said that "the decision to temporarily suspend operations was not made easily".

“However, following a protracted period of non-payment, our fuel suppliers were no longer able to withstand the delay and had no option but to pause work," he added.

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In Tel Aviv, Mr Biden says Israel has a right to hit back for the Hamas attack that triggered fighting.