This page is now closedpublished at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time 27 February
For the latest updates, go to bbc.com/africalive.
This page is now closedpublished at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time 27 February
At least 15 dead in Burkina Faso church attackpublished at 19:05 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February
It the latest atrocity in the country to be attributed to Islamist militants.
Read MoreSurge in patriotism as Namibia president laid to restpublished at 15:55 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February
A huge crowd attends Hage Geingob's funeral following his death at the age of 82 from cancer.
Read MoreSA's ANC pitches for votes as majority threatenedpublished at 14:33 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February
President Ramaphosa says the government "will do better" as other parties eat away at its support.
Read MoreScroll down for this week's storiespublished at 17:44 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
We're back on Monday
That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for now. There'll be an automated service until our team is back on Monday morning.
In the meantime you can listen to the BBC Focus on Africa podcast here.
A reminder of our wise words of the day:
Quote MessageWhat prevents you from sleeping is of your own making."
A Nuer proverb sent by Jal Gatluak Toch and Deng Nhial Chioh, both in Juba, South Sudan
Click here to send us your African proverbs.
And we leave you with this photo taken in downtown Nairobi - which is one of our favourite shots this week:
Image source, ReutersGhanaian singer failed to break sing-a-thon recordpublished at 17:42 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Image caption, Afua Asantewaa is a journalist, TV producer and entrepreneur
Guinness World Records (GWR) has said an attempt by Ghanaian media personality Afua Asantewaa to beat a sing-a-thon record was "unsuccessful".
Ms Asantewaa sang for 126 hours and 52 minutes last year in December, but this was not enough, the world's global record breaking authority said.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, GWR said, external it hoped Ms Asantewaa would "make another attempt soon".
It added that her marathon was "inspirational" but did not clarify why she had fallen short of breaking the record.
"We wish Afua the best of luck with any future record attempts," GWR said.
You may also be interested in:
Shimza eyes crossover success with Aloe Blaccpublished at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
DJ Edu
Presenter of This Is Africa on BBC World Service
Image source, Stills by TomImage caption, The South African house music head says he is still loyal to the genre
Beirut, London, Dubai, Bali, Chicago and Romania are all on the cards for Shimza this month and next.
The globally successful South African DJ, promoter and producer, whose real name is Ashley Raphala, has loved house music since he was a child, and has no plans to leave the genre.
We are giving you an exclusive opportunity to listen to his upcoming single, Darling, in this week's This is Africa show. And it will sound familiar to many because it is a club version of Ben E King's 1961 hit Stand By Me.
So why take it right back to this old hit song?
"We want to be part of the underground world and club scenes but we also need to have more music played on radio," he explains.
Shimza refers to the recent Grammy success of fellow South African artist Tyla whose 2023 single Water made it into the top 10 in 16 countries.
Quote MessageIf it wasn’t for radio and mainstream it would not have been as big as it is. So I'm trying to make sure that we appeal to the masses, and push more of the culture so that more people know about the music that comes out of South Africa."
Shimza’s remake of Stand By Me features the US singer and rapper Aloe Blacc on vocals.
Quote MessagePeople know the song so it’s going to be a real sing-a-long for them. It gives people a nostalgic feeling and I think it will be a great one for the dance floor as well as radio stations."
Darling will be the first single from his album that is due for release in November.
Listen to the full interview with Shimza on BBC World Service radio and partner stations across Africa, and online here.
SA influencer 'tricks' followers to register to votepublished at 17:02 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Image source, Kay Yarms/InstagramImage caption, Many of Kay Yarms' Gen Z followers are now of voting age
South African influencer and Youtuber Kay Yarms used her platform to dupe her followers into registering to vote ahead of the deadline.
The social media sensation posted a link to a new video on her Instagram story, but instead of new content it redirected people to the voter registration website for the upcoming elections on 29 May.
The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Friday and the Electoral Commission of South Africa has said a large number of young people have still not registered.
One of her followers responded to the dupe and said: “You really tricked us here but thank you now I’m fully registered thanks to you.”
"I literally forced my friend to register using your link," another follower said.
Kay Yarms is one of the most influential celebrities in South Africa and has about 300,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel.
She is popular among Gen Z in the country, and for many in that demographic it will be their first time heading to the polls.
Senegal's president agrees to go but no poll date setpublished at 16:59 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Macky Sall's attempt to postpone the elections has thrown Senegal into political turmoil.
Read MoreZambia's biggest-ever cholera outbreak kills almost 700published at 16:51 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Image source, ReutersImage caption, The outbreak began in Lusaka in October
The death toll from Zambia's cholera outbreak has risen to almost 700, says the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
It is the largest ever recorded in the country. It began in the capital, Lusaka, in October and has since spread to all of Zambia's provinces infecting more 19,000 people.
MSF says cholera is easily treated - with rehydration - but without the proper care a person can die in a few hours.
The disease is caused by contaminated water, so access to clean drinking water is vital to stopping it spreading further.
More on this topic:
South Africa hits deadline for voter registrationpublished at 16:23 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
South Africans will be given the day off on 29 May to cast their votes in the general election.
President Cyril Ramaphosa's confirmation of the election day and the announcement of a public holiday means that this is the last day that people will be able to register on the electoral register.
There are concerns that millions of eligible voters may not get themselves registered in time.
Pressure mounts on Macky Sall to confirm election datepublished at 14:53 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Analysis
Mayeni Jones
BBC West Africa CorrespondentThe political crisis in Senegal seems far from over.
Not only are almost all presidential candidates snubbing next week's national dialogue, but so are a number of civil society organisations.
President Macky Sall, who is currently on his way to Abuja for an extraordinary summit of the regional group Ecowas, is under pressure to set a new election date.
That pressure appears to be coming from all sides. We know that Mr Sall is to step down on 2 April, yet the electoral timetable is still no clearer.
The attempt to delay the elections until December received strong condemnation from the international community, which views Senegal as one of the few examples of a functioning democracy in a region increasingly plagued by military takeovers.
Senegal contenders reject president's election talkspublished at 14:21 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Richard Hamilton
BBC World Service newsroom
Image source, AFPImage caption, Cheikh Tidiane Youm spoke on behalf of the dissenters on Friday
Most candidates in Senegal's delayed presidential election have said they will not take part in a national dialogue proposed by President Macky Sall.
That's a total of 16 out of 19 candidates who are rejecting the talks.
On Thursday, Mr Sall promised to stand down at the end of his term on the 2 April - but failed to set a date for the election of his successor.
The group demanded that the poll be held before that date.
"We are calling for mobilisation," presidential candidate Aliou Mamadou Dia is quoted as saying by AFP news agency, adding that the group was working on an action plan to take place on Monday and Tuesday.
Earlier this month the president triggered a constitutional crisis when he postponed the election that had been due to take place on Sunday.
More on Senegal's political turmoil:
Child rape and ethnic killings exposed in Sudan - UNpublished at 13:30 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Richard Hamilton
BBC World Service newsroomA report by the UN's Human Rights Office has laid bare horrific violations being committed by both sides in the war in Sudan.
The report covers the eight months after the conflict broke out last April and contains evidence from hundreds of people.
It suggests thousands have been killed in ethnically motivated attacks in the Darfur region and includes allegations of children being raped.
Satellite imagery shows the widespread use of heavy explosives on densely populated areas, killing large numbers of civilians.
The report comes after video footage emerged this week of students being beheaded by men in uniform who later paraded the decapitated heads through the streets.
The UN is calling for an end to the fighting and inclusive talks towards a civilians government in Sudan.
Kiptum 'would have broken' two-hour marathon markpublished at 13:15 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Kelvin Kiptum would have become the first person to run a competitive marathon in under two hours, says Lord Sebastian Coe.
Read MorePrison or fine handed out for SA teenage bar deathspublished at 12:53 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Nomsa Maseko
BBC News, Johannesburg
Image source, AFPImage caption, Thousands of people attended the teenagers' mass funeral
The owners of a bar in South Africa, where 21 teenagers died during a party in 2022, have each been ordered to pay a fine or spend 100 days in prison.
The couple were found guilty of selling alcohol to under-18-year-olds at Enyobeni Tavern.
Their deaths in the Eastern Cape province caused outrage and brought renewed calls for the legal drinking age to be increased.
A toxicology report revealed they died from suffocation due to overcrowding.
It also emerged that traces of the poisonous chemical, methanol were found in their bodies.
A formal inquest is yet to take place.
More on this story:
Thousands mourn marathon star destined for greatnesspublished at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
People pay their respects at the funeral of world record holder Kelvin Kiptum who died at 24.
Read MoreKiptum to be buried later as funeral service endspublished at 12:14 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Natasha Booty
BBC News
Image source, AFPWe have been bringing you live coverage from the funeral of 24-year-old Kenyan marathon great Kelvin Kiptum.
Loved ones and dignitaries, including the country's president, have finished their speeches. The athlete's body is now being taken to what will be its final resting place in a nearby village.
The burial is set to take place later on Friday.
We'll now return to our usual pan-African news coverage.
Kenya's President Ruto promises money for athletespublished at 11:55 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Image source, KTN News"We have now reinstated the sports fund to deal with only matters [of] sports," says Kenya's President William Ruto, adding that all the facilities asked for during Friday's funeral for marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum would be granted.
"We are going to adjust our reward system - that it also becomes money for the future," he also promised during his address to mourners - referring to the short working life of top athletes compared to other jobs and the financial precarity they face.
"Money will be put in a pension system to support athletes after they retire," the president added, tasking the sports ministry with carrying this out.
"May Kelvin's soul rest in eternal peace," he ended.
Stadium to be built where Kiptum trained - ministerpublished at 11:31 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Listing the building work for various sporting facilities in Kenya, the country's Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba said: "I see no reason why we cannot add these Chepkorio grounds."
It comes after several others at Friday's funeral for Kelvin Kiptum had called for a stadium to be built in the town where the athlete trained, to honour his memory and nurture future talent.
Mr Namwamba also said Kiptum was a great "symbol" of integrity because he passed his drugs tests, proving that: "You can run, you can win, you can shatter world records without doping."
He went on to state his admiration for Kenya's athletes, telling them, "You are the goose that lays the golden egg.
"Our number-one export is not tea, not coffee, not tourism - it is these great sportsmen and women."