That's all for now from the BBC Africa Live team.

There will be an automated service here until next Monday. You can also find the latest updates on the BBC News website, or listen to ourFocus on Africa podcast.

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And we leave you with a photo of cricket fans cheering from the stands during a record-breaking Test match between South Africa and India.

Image source, AFP

David Bamford
BBC World Service News

The Vatican has issued a clarification intended to calm Catholic bishops in some countries who have balked over last month's approval of blessings for same-sex couples.

The Vatican's doctrinal office said the blessings should not be seen as an endorsement of the life that lesbian, gay or bisexual people lead.

It urged bishops to make a "full and calm reading" of the eight-page declaration approved by Pope Francis.

Francis has tried to make the Church more welcoming to LGBT people without changing moral doctrine.

Bishops in some countries - especially African ones - have made clear that they will not allow their priests to conduct such blessings.

Thursday's Vatican statement advised what it called "pastoral prudence" depending on local laws and circumstances.

Read more:

• Pope says Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples, external
• Ghana Cardinal Peter Turkson: It's time to understand homosexuality, external

Viv Marsh
BBC World Service Newsroom

Image source, AFP

India have completed the quickest victory in Test match history, beating South Africa in just a day and a half in Cape Town.

Set 79 to win, the Indian batsmen chased down their total in 12 overs - bringing the match to an end on the second afternoon of a scheduled five-day game.

Just 642 balls were bowled - 14 fewer deliveries than in the previous shortest Test (in 1932 when South Africa were beaten by Australia).

India's win means the Test series is drawn 1-1.

Read more here

The former Miss Namibia has doubled down on her pledge to run to be president of the southern African country, despite seemingly being too young.

Cassia Sharpley, who won the beauty pageant in 2022, had told her 23,000 Instagram followers she would soon share her "journey towards becoming President of the Republic of Namibia".

Although several followers pointed out that presidential candidates must be over 35, as per the Namibian constitution, 23-year-old Ms Sharpley repeated her statement on Thursday.

She told her followers she would offer more information in forthcoming YouTube videos.

"Let's talk about me, that's running for presidency," she said on Instagram.

Ms Sharpley said she planned to run as an independent candidate.

Image source, Getty Images

Some 90% of Africa's "spectacular" birds of prey are under threat, research by a Scottish university has found.

According to researchers from the University of St Andrews and the Peregrine Fund, raptors lead an "increasingly perilous existence" in unprotected land in Africa.

A report from the team found habitat, food and breeding sites for the birds have been drastically reduced.

Major threats include persecution from ivory poachers and farmers, ritual killings, poisoning and collisions with wind turbines.

The report, published in the Nature Ecology & Evolution journal, warned of massive declines among nearly 42 species.

Monitoring began in West Africa in the 1970s, where the average rate of decline was more than twice that of other regions - but some species are now deemed to be "vanishing into oblivion" by ornithologists, the researchers said.

Children across Zambia will return to school three weeks late from their festive holidays due to a cholera outbreak.

Both primary and secondary students were meant to return next Monday but will now resume on 29 January, the Education Ministry said on Thursday.

On Sunday, Zambia's Ministry of Health said 3,015 cholera cases and 98 deaths had been recorded since October 2023.

It had previously warned that the outbreak was threatening the country's "health security".

Zambia's education minister has "directed that during the prolonged closure, all learning institutions should be thoroughly cleaned up, have clean water and sanitation facilities, adequate hand washing points and disinfectants", his department said.

Image source, Reuters

Earlier, we reported that judges in Kenya had condemned the country's president for threatening to disobey court orders.

Despite these calls to respect the judiciary, President William Ruto has again pledged to "root out" individuals he believes are sabotaging his government through court orders and injunctions.

While acknowledging that there are honest judicial officers, the president insisted that “no single cent" should be used to "bribe any officer”.

He said that the "impunity of bribing judges so as not to derail, delay, or sabotage Kenya’s imminent transformation will never happen under my watch".

Chief Justice Martha Koome and opposition leader Raila Odinga have accused Mr Ruto of trying to intimidate judges while a group of lawyers have called for protests.

David Bamford
BBC World Service News

Image source, AFP

French energy giant TotalEnergies has said it will review its land acquisition practices for a $10bn (£7.9bn) project covering Uganda and Tanzania, following criticism by environmentalists and human rights groups.

The company said it would evaluate its population relocation practices for the Tilenga drilling project in Uganda and a massive crude oil pipeline that will be built across Tanzania.

TotalEnergies - in collaboration with Chinese company CNOOC International - plans to construct over 400 oil wells at Uganda's Murchison Falls nature reserve.

The company said 98% of the 19,000 affected households have been relocated and compensated.

However, Human Rights Watch has said the entire project will impact over 100,000 people in Uganda and Tanzania.

Environmental groups have filed criminal complaints in Paris, accusing the oil companies of "ecocide", which they deny.

Read more:

• Uganda-Tanzania oil pipeline sparks climate row

Responding to criticism of its recent port deal with the self-declared republic of Somaliland, the Ethiopian government has cited "a historical and legal mistake" brought about by its brutal 30-year war with Eritrea.

"A civil war that lasted three decades fomented by internal crisis and foreign conspiracies occurred," the Ethiopia's Government Communication Service posted on X (formerly Twitter).

"At the end of the civil war and through both a historical and legal mistake, the country has remained landlocked for the past 30 years [after Eritrea's secession in 1991].

"In its long and medium term as well as recent history, our nation had direct access to the sea."

The statement was issued in reaction to criticism of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland on Monday, granting Addis Ababa access to the latter's ports.

In return, Somaliland has said Ethiopia will recognise it as an independent state, although this has not been confirmed by Ethiopia.

The agreement has caused a diplomatic storm, with Somalia denouncing it as a violation of its sovereignty and vowing to challenge it "by any legal means".

The African Union and US responded to the deal by insisting Somalia's sovereignty must be respected.

Somaliland seceded from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognised as an independent state.

Image source, Getty Images

Hollywood actor Will Smith has given a surprise gift package to a student from Guinea who cycled 4,000km (2,500 miles) over four months across West Africa for a spot at his dream university in Egypt.

Last September, BBC reported on Mamadou Safayou Barry's arduous journey from his home country Guinea to Cairo's prestigious Al-Azhar University, where he was ultimately admitted on a scholarship.

After reading the BBC's article, Smith decided to gift Mr Barry a laptop and new bicycle.

In a virtual conversation, external posted on the actor's YouTube channel late on Wednesday, Smith told the student: "I know your wife and daughter are still in Guinea so I got some travel vouchers for you to be able to go back and forth or to be able to bring your wife and daughter."

The actor said he was "deeply moved and inspired" by Mr Barry and had gifted him the items because: "I want to be a part of the next phase. I want to help you in your journey".

"I don't know how to thank you Wallahi [I swear]! I don't know how to thank you," a stunned Mr Barry said during the surprise video call.

Smith said that Mr Barry's determination is proof that "when you commit to a journey, when you make a decision...the universe conspires to help you".

Read more:

• Guinean cycles across six countries for spot at Egypt's Al-Azhar University

Health authorities in Rwanda have recalled batches of antifungal tablets made in Kenya over safety concerns.

In a statement, the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA) instructed importers to return all batches of 200mg Fluconazole tablets manufactured by Univeral Corporation, a Kenyan company.

It also ordered all retailers and health facilities to stop the distribution of the drugs and return them to suppliers.

This followed an earlier notification from the authority, which alerted the Kenyan manufacturer of discolouration in the tablets.

According to RFDA, four bulk batches of pink Fluconazole 200mg tablets imported into the country had a white discolouration after a short shelf life.

The agency said that some of the discoloured tablet batches had entered into the Rwandan market.

Health officials in Rwanda say they will investigate to ascertain if the drugs have had any adverse effects on consumers.

Kenyan authorities are yet to say whether the drug, used to treat fungal or yeast infections, will also be recalled from the local market.

Image source, Getty Images

Nigeria says it will extend the suspension of degrees accreditation to more countries, including Kenya and Uganda.

This comes days after the West African country suspended the accreditation of degrees from Benin and Togo.

“We are not going to stop at just Benin and Togo,” Education Minister Tahir Mamman said on Wednesday during an interview on Nigeria's Channels Television channel, external.

“We are going to extend the dragnet to countries like Uganda, Kenya, even Niger here where such institutions have been set up,” he added.

The new directive is an effort to stop fraudulent qualifications from foreign degree mills, following an exposé by the Daily Nigerian newspaper.

In an undercover investigation, the newspaper's reporter Umar Audu revealed how he obtained a degree for a four-year program from a Benin university in under two months.

Mr Mamman says he has "no sympathy" for those with fake certificates from foreign countries, adding that they are not victims but "part of the criminal chain that should be arrested".

Nigeria has launched a formal investigation into the ministries and agencies responsible for accrediting academic qualifications obtained abroad.

Mr Mamman said the measure will protect Nigeria's employers and the integrity of the country's qualifications.

Emery Makumeno
BBC News, Kinshasa

Image source, Reuters

A candidate in the Democratic Republic of Congo's recent presidential elections has legally challenged the victory of incumbent President Félix Tshisekedi.

Théodore Ngoy, who came last with 0.02% of the vote, is the only presidential candidate who submitted a petition for the annulment of the results.

He filed the petition on Wednesday at the Constitutional Court hours before the lapse of the two-day window allowed for petitions.

Mr Ngoy, a lawyer and pastor, was also unsuccesful in DR Congo's 2018 presidential elections.

He told France's RFI news website that he wanted the "sham" election results announced by the country's electoral commission, Ceni, to be annulled.

The court has seven days to examine the petition and produce a response.

The two main opposition candidates, Moïse Katumbi and Martin Fayulu, said they would not challenge the results in court but are calling for protests to denounce them.

The Constitutional Court is expected to announce the final results on 12 January.

The president won with about 73% of the vote in the 20 December election, which was marred by widespread logistical problems.

Robert Hicks and his team have carried out 2,500 operations since 2011 and helped build a hospital.

Image source, Getty Images

The African Union and the US have called for the respect of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in response to a controversial sea access deal that Ethiopia struck with the self-declared republic of Somaliland.

The deal has caused diplomatic tension, with Somalia condemning it as an act of aggression and violation of its sovereignty. Somalia has also vowed to challenge the agreement "by any legal means".

Somaliland seceded from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognised as an independent state.

US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday said that "the United States recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia within its borders".

AU Commission chair Moussa Faki has also urged for the respect of the "unity, territorial integrity and full sovereignty...of Somalia and Ethiopia".

Both the US and AU have also asked the involved parties to pursue diplomatic dialogue to peacefully resolve the row, amid concerns that the deal could escalate tensions in the Horn of Africa region.

Lanré Olagoke runs a scheme to help young people facing difficulties achieve more through art.

Image source, Getty Images

South African former President Thabo Mbeki is alive and well, his foundation says.

The foundation was reacting to reports circulating on social media on Wednesday regarding the former president’s health. Some of these posts claimed Mr Mbeki had died.

“We categorically deny these reports and wish to assure the public that President Mbeki is in good health,” the foundation said in a statement.

“We urge caution and responsible engagement with online information, particularly during a time when misinformation can spread rapidly.”

This is not the first time Mr Mbeki has been the subject of fake news.

In 2021, during the Covid pandemic, social media reports falsely claimed that the former leader had died.

Mr Mbeki succeeded the country’s first black president, Nelson Mandela. He served as South Africa's second democratically-elected president from 1999 until 2008.

Image source, AFP

The US has dismissed South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

South Africa argued that Israel is committing "genocidal" acts in Gaza in the case filed at the ICJ last week.

"As pertains the United States, we are not seeing any acts that constitute genocide," US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday.

"But there are military operations going on that put Palestinian people at risk," Mr Miller added.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also said on Wednesday that the US considers the case "meritless, counterproductive and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever".

Israel rejected South Africa's genocide allegation, terming it "baseless" and "blood libel".

South Africa is backing Palestinians in the ongoing conflict, while the US has supported Israel with military assistance and weapons.

Read more on South Africa's ICJ case against Israel:

• Israel to fight South Africa's Gaza genocide claim in court
• South Africa files ICJ case accusing Israel of 'genocidal acts'

Image source, EPA

Kenyan President William Ruto has come under a barrage of criticism following his threat to disobey court orders from "corrupt judges".

Mr Ruto on Tuesday said some unnamed judges had teamed up with opposition politicians and "cartels" to block his government's projects.

But in a swift response, Chief Justice Martha Koome said defying court orders was a breach of public trust placed in state and public officers.

"When state or public officers threaten to defy court orders, the rule of law is imperilled, setting stage for anarchy to prevail in a nation," Ms Koome said in a statement.

She also urged judges to continue performing their judicial duties without fear or favour.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga said Mr Ruto's threats against the judiciary amounted to intimidation and a disregard for the rule of law.

Mr Odinga said the president had "crossed the line" with his attacks against judges.

Kenya's Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which is chaired by Ms Koome, said in a separate statement that it had noted the president's remarks "with concern".

The Law Society of Kenya has called for countrywide protests next week in solidarity with the judiciary.

But in a statement issued by government spokesperson Hussein Mohammed on Wednesday, Mr Ruto vowed to fight what he termed "judicial impunity".

The president, who came to power in September 2022, has come under criticism for introducing new taxes amid rising cost of living.

Two new taxes – the housing levy and the proposed universal health cover deductions – have been challenged in court, and their respective rulings are pending.

Our African proverb of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.