That's all for now for this year from the BBC Africa Live team. We wish a very Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.

You can join us again on Tuesday 2 January, plus in the meantime you can read the BBC News website and listen to our Focus on Africa podcast every weekday.

A reminder of Thursday's wise words:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we'll leave you with this photo of a patriotic voter wearing the colours of the national flag in Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo:

Image source, AFP

Image source, Getty Images

Ugandans are taking advantage of Kenya's weakened currency this Christmas season, with many crossing the border to buy items at lower-than-usual prices.

Fabrics are especially popular, according to the Daily Monitor newspaper which says hundreds of shoppers are pouring into Kenya through the Busia border post.

"I buy a lot of clothes in Kenya with 1,000 shillings ($6.40; £5) but with the same money in Uganda I will buy only one cloth," trader David Basalirwa told the newspaper, external.

The Daily Nation says this marks a big shift from the past when Kenyans typically crossed into Uganda to buy cheaper textiles.

Ameyu Etana
BBC News Afaan Oromoo

Image source, Tamirat Getachew

Tamirat Getachew's apparent ability to tame honey bees has astounded a lot of people in his hometown of Asosa, in Ethiopia.

How does he do it?

"It's a gift," he tells the BBC.

The 18-year-old allows the insects to swarm his bare chest and head without wearing any kind of protection. Sometimes he'll even let the bees enter his mouth.

"I have a special ability to put bees on myself without covering my lips and ears," he explains.

It was only five years ago that Mr Tamirat was first introduced to bees.

"They came and settled on my body as I passed by [the bee farm] and they started paying attention to what I was saying," he says.

According to him, he did nothing to draw them in. ''They just understand who I am. Bees are like humans to those who approach them."

Image source, Tamirat Getachew

However, his relatives and neighbours were initially concerned. ''They were frightened. They warned me not to go near bees as they can be dangerous. However, I was aware of my gift at the time," Mr Tamirat says.

They eventually discovered he has a special bond with the honey bee.

His actions are highly unusual in the neighbourhood. Bee farmers typically harvest honey at night in order to prevent bee stings, particularly in rural parts of Ethiopia.

Studies have shown that bee stings can be lethal.

Richard Hamilton
BBC World Service newsroom

Image source, Innocent Buchu/BBC

The election authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo say the first results from the poll will be published on Friday, after a chaotic vote marked by logistical problems.

Voting was extended in some parts of the country for a second day, following delays on Wednesday.

Several opposition presidential candidates have called for fresh elections, complaining of widespread mismanagement, faulty equipment and fraud.

President Felix Tshisekedi is seeking a second term in office.

More from the BBC on DR Congo's elections:

• Voting enters second day after 'chaos'
• Moïse Katumbi: Businessman and football boss runs for president
• Félix Tshisekedi: The man who vowed to make DR Congo the 'Germany of Africa'
• Martin Fayulu: The candidate who refuses to give up
• Dr Denis Mukwege: Nobel Prize-winner to contest presidency

Image source, Getty Images

Bajan pop star Rihanna says she's had Unavailable, external "on repeat", calling it the best track of the year.

The song is a collaboration between Nigerian singer Davido and South African producer Musa Keys, fusing together Afrobeats and amapiano.

Rihanna also shouted out another song by South African artist - Mnike, external - as one of her favourites of 2023.

Davido was clearly delighted with Rihanna's compliment, commenting "my Ri Ri" on social media.

Here's the clip of Rihanna speaking to Complex magazine, external.

It comes after Opec's decision to further slash oil production in 2024 to prop up volatile global prices.

Metta Tsikrika
BBC World Service newsroom

Image source, AFP

The government of Angola says it's leaving the oil producers' organisation, Opec, over a dispute on production quotas.

It follows Opec's decision last month to further reduce output.

he cut would have lowered Angola's oil quota to 1.1 million barrels per day, to reflect the country’s dwindling output capacity.

Announcing the decision, the oil minister Diamantino Azevedo said Angola's role in the organisation was not relevant and it was time for the country to focus on its goals.

Angola had been a member of Opec for 16 years.

Richard Hamilton
BBC World Service newsroom

Image source, AFP

France has cancelled a ministerial decree which had authorised the extradition of the brother of the former president of Burkina Faso, back to his homeland.

Paul François Compaoré, whose brother Blaise was head of state from 1987 until 2014, is accused of killing a journalist in 1998.

Worsening relations between the military junta in Burkina Faso and the former colonial power, France, have recently led to expulsion orders for diplomatic officials - including the French ambassador, and to the suspension of some French media.

Earlier, four French IT workers with diplomatic passports and visas were reportedly arrested in the capital, Ouagadougou.

Roberto Nditi admits it is "crazy" he might go from playing for Forfar at Peterhead to facing World Cup semi-finalists Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Paul Njie
BBC News

Benin’s President Patrice Talon says his country hopes to quickly re-establish relations with its military-run neighbours, amid international condemnation of coups in West Africa.

In his state of the nation address to parliament on Thursday, President Talon reiterated his country’s disapproval of the seizure of power by the military, but insisted "there is a time to condemn, a time to demand and a time to take stock and take note".

West Africa has seen coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and most recently in Niger, where Ecowas sanctions also triggered a closure of its borders with Benin.

"Benin has never wanted, or wished for, the sanctions imposed by regional or international authorities to have the effect of complicating the daily lives of the population, of making their lives even more difficult," Mr Talon said.

Ecowas recently decided to maintain sanctions on Niger until a short transitional period is proposed. Mr Talon said the junta must now show proof of goodwill and collaborate with the regional bloc.

A young fighter attempts to forge a career in dambe, a Nigerian Hausa combat sport developed from spear and shield warfare.

Nichola Mandil
BBC News, Juba

Civilians have complained of harassment as soldiers continue to mount unannounced raids on homes and business addresses in South Sudan's capital, Juba.

The army however says its operations have been a success, saying that soldiers have seized thousands of deadly weapons including assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and machetes.

More than 120 Juba residents have formally complained to a local NGO called Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation.

Its boss Edmund Yakani told the BBC that those complaining said security forces stormed their houses without prior notification, saying they were looking for weapons.

Foreign nationals have also complained of being harassed by troops who they say searched their vehicles and accommodation, Mr Yakani added.

An army spokesman apologised "to all those who were negatively affected by the exercise" on Thursday in response to the outcry.

"Special apology goes to members of diplomatic corps, UN, NGOs and other dignitaries for all forms of inconveniences caused," wrote South Sudan People’s Defence Forces spokesman Maj Gen Lul Ruai Koang on Facebook.

Image source, Maj Gen Lul Ruai Koang

More security officers have been deployed to a town in northern Cameroon where officers reportedly opened fire on protesters days earlier.

Tokombéré's residents accuse the mayor of land grabs and favouring outsiders for public contracts. Hundreds of them tried to storm the town hall on Tuesday.

Witnesses say security officers fired tear gas then live rounds to push them back.

There are conflicting reports on the number of casualties.

Residents are calling for the mayor to step down, a local official told the L'oeil du Sahel, external news site. They have been told they must wait for the next municipal elections in 2025.

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

Egypt says countries with access to the Red Sea have a responsibility to protect it and provide suitable conditions for freedom of navigation.

On Tuesday, the US announced a 10-member coalition called Operation Prosperity to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea from intensifying attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen.

But Egypt and Saudi Arabia have not joined the US-led coalition.

On Thursday, Greece said it would send a naval frigate there to protect shipping.

Greek ship-owners control 20% of the world's commercial vessels in terms of capacity.

All football has been suspended in Algeria after a bus crash on Wednesday killed a player and coach from Mouloudia Club El Bayadh.

The final troops of the East African regional force are departing from the Democratic Republic of Congo, just over a year after they were deployed to quell rebel violence in the eastern part of the country.

The force - which comprised soldiers from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan - began its exit earlier this month after DR Congo's government declined to renew its mandate, citing concerns about its effectiveness.

The force's Commander Maj-Gen Alphaxard Kiugu was on Thursday quoted by The East African newspaper as saying that the force achieved its mandate despite the "negative propaganda" it faced.

He further warned of the risk of armed groups, including the M23 rebel group of exploiting the gap left by the force's exit.

Soldiers from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) bloc are set to replace the East African force.

On Tuesday, the UN Security Council voted for the gradual withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping force Monusco beginning this month.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, AFP

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claims to have seized another town and a military base in Gezira state.

In a post on X, external (formerly Twitter), the group said it “liberated the second infantry division” of Sudanese armed forces in al-Hasaheisa town.

It came two days after the group seized the state's capital Wad Madani, following days of fierce fighting with rival Sudan’s regular army.

Meanwhile, the Preliminary Committee of Sudan Doctors’ Union said 300 people were killed and tens of others wounded in days of military clashes in Wad Madani city.

As many as 300,000 people have fled Wad Madani since the start of the clashes last week, according to the UN agency International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The control of Gezira state, which lies south of the capital, Khartoum, will enable the RSF to advance towards army-controlled states in the east, central and south-east, analysts say.

Four opposition candidates have called for the entire election to be rerun after Wednesday's long delays.

Emery Makumeno
BBC News, Kinshasa

Image source, Emery Makumeno/BBC

Votes are being counted by hand in parts of the capital city, Kinshasa, in a general election marred by delays and claims of fraud.

I'm at the Mwinda Mopela polling station which ended up staying open until the early hours of Thursday. The top electoral officer Marie-France tells me there had been power cuts and long waits while replacing "some dysfunctional electronic kits".

"All the polling booths opened and closed," she insists.

For the first time since 2006, voting has been extended into a second day in some parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"This Thursday, voters can continue to cast their ballots in polling stations which didn’t open on Wednesday," said Patricia Nseya, the rapporteur of the Electoral Commission.

There are more that 75,000 polling stations across the country, which is four times the size of France.

The full extent of logistical problems at this year's vote is not yet clear.

Image source, Mbelechi Msochi/BBC

Image source, Reuters

Firefighters are still battling a wildfire in Cape Town, South Africa, three days after it broke out.

The wild blaze was quickly spread by heavy winds after it started early Tuesday on a mountain overlooking Simon's Town, about 40km (24 miles) south of Cape Town.

Nineteen fire engines and several crews operated through Wednesday night, local councillor Simon Liell-Cock told Cape Talk radio station.

Helicopter operations to douse the blaze with water from the ocean resumed early Thursday.

The crews are combating several different fires around the mountain, Mr Liell-Cock says.

"Out of control" wind conditions have complicated the response efforts, City of Cape Town's emergency services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said in an update on X.