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Live Reporting

Hugo Williams and Lucy Fleming

All times stated are UK

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  1. Scroll down for Thursday's stories

    We'll be back tomorrow

    That's all for today from the BBC Africa Live page. Listen to the Africa Today podcast and keep up-to-date with developments across the continent on the BBC News website.

    Today's African proverb: "He who wants to be famous will have many sleepless nights." A Tunisian proverb sent by Gavin Zimba in Kitwe, Zambia

    Click here to send your African proverbs.

    And we leave you with this photo snapped by the BBC's Robert Kiptoo in Mikindani, in southern Tanzania, which used to be an old slave port.

    Mikindani in Tanzania
  2. How to catch the president's attention?

    #UhuruListenToMukhtar is trending in Kenya after businessman Mukhtar Ahmed took out a whole page newspaper advert to directly address President Uhuru Kenyatta.

    He complained that his "35-year-old" business had been shut down by police in central Nairobi, where premises are in high demand.

    Mr Mukhtar says he has resorted to paying nearly $5,000 (£3,200) for the advert because no-one was listening to him in the police department.

    Advert
  3. London premiere for Ghanaian actor

    Young Ghanaian actor Abraham Attah is all suited and booted for the London premiere of the Hollywood film Beasts of No Nation.

    Ghanaian actor Abraham Attah

    BBC Africa's Miriam Quansah has just snapped him on the red carpet. The film also stars Idris Elba and was shot in Ghana.

    The story follows Attah, who plays a young boy living in an unnamed West African country that is engulfed by civil war - and how he becomes a child soldier.

  4. EU border force to speed up deportations

    Eritrean migrants in Rome
    Image caption: Eritreans in Rome press for rights as refugees who fled from "a dictatorship"

    The EU has agreed to beef up its border force Frontex in order to speed up deportations of failed asylum seekers.

    The EU interior ministers also called for more effective re-admission deals with countries of origin outside the EU, so that more migrants go home.

    Rescued Eritrean migrants in Mediterranean, 23 Jun 15
    Image caption: Eritrean migrants picked up in the Mediterranean include families and many lone children

    The conclusions from their talks said EU states should detain migrants who may abscond before they are deported.

    More than 550,000 migrants have reached the EU this year, many of them war refugees. Germany is hosting the most.

    Eritrea and Nigeria are the top African countries in terms of applying for asylum in the EU.

    Chart showing origin of asylum seekers

    Read the full BBC story here

  5. SA 'to block coronation of 10-year-old "Rain Queen"'

    Plans by an ethnic group in South Africa's Limpopo province to make a 10-year-old girl queen of their people are against the law, according to a government official quoted in Johannesburg's Sowetan newspaper.

    The paper quotes royal insiders as saying that preparation was already under way to make Masalanabo Modjaji the so-called Rain Queen of the Balobedu people.

    There has been no Rain Queen for the past 10 years after the death of the previous monarch. 

    There used to be a belief that the Rain Queen had special powers, including the ability to control the weather.

    View more on twitter
  6. Enyeama retires from internationals

    Taking to Instagram, Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama has announced that he has retired from the Super Eagles.

    "I am no longer Nigeria captain or goalkeeper nor available for Nigeria duty," he posted.

    "I fought a good fight for 13 years, but now I have finished my course."

    The 33-year-old's decision came after coach Sunday Oliseh replaced him as captain with Ahmed Musa - only hours before a match against DR Congo.

    View more on instagram

    Enyeama is the Super Eagles most capped player with 101 appearances.

    Read the piece by BBC Sport's Oluwashina Okeleji for analysis

  7. Rwandan arrest warrants dismissed in Spain

    Spain's Supreme Court has dismissed cases against 11 of 40 Rwandan military officials indicted in 2008 with offences allegedly committed after the Rwandan genocide in 1994, according to a lawyer representing some of the victims.

    Jordi Palou told the BBC's Great Lakes service that it was those not facing terrorism charges whose cases had been dropped.

    This includes Jacques Nziza, who analysts say is the country's second most powerful person, behind President Paul Kagame.

    Charges still stand against the other 29, who include Rwandan spy chief Karenzi Karake and Defence Minister Gen James Kabarebe.

    Mr Palou says their cases are on standby and arrest warrants may still be valid.

    Gen Karake was arrested in the UK in June on a warrant issued by Spain, but the extradition request was rejected.

    General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake
    Image caption: Karenzi Karake's arrest was embarrassing for the UK government

    Rwandan Justice Minister Johnston Busingye said the government had always felt the case against the officers was fictitious, politically motivated and an abuse of the principles of universal jurisdiction, Rwanda's pro-government New Times paper reports.

    "This particular investigation started by listing almost the entire leadership of the Rwanda Defence Forces on a charge sheet and then worked backwards to find offences with which to charge them," he was quoted as saying.

  8. Will Seychelles' Suketu Patel take over Caf?

    Piers Edwards

    BBC Africa sport

    In light of Issa Hayatou taking over the reigns of the Fifa presidency (see 14:21 post), who runs the Confederation of African Football (Caf) is now an issue.

    In theory, Suketu Patel from Seychelles will step in to the role as he is the first vice-president of the organisation.

    However, he told me will only take on the job if Hayatou decides he cannot fulfil both his Fifa and Caf duties.

    Suketu Patel

    Hayatou has led Caf since 1988.

  9. Tanzania's blind tailor who serves president

    Tanzanian tailor Abdallah Nyangalio has an unusual method for sizing his clients up.

    He's been blind since 1989, so instead of using his sight to work out their measurements, he holds the hands of his customer to see how big they are.

    Abdallah Nyangalio

    And although the Russian doctor he went to see at the time couldn't save his sight, he did transform his life by teaching him how to sow, according to BBC Swahilis' Esther Namuhisa, who has visited him at work in Dar es Salaam.

    Abdallah Nyangalio making a shirt

    Since the 52-year-old first went into business, he has sown shirts for Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

    Despite this, he is still critical of the government for not recognising the talents of disabled people, who he says mostly end up begging on the street.

    President Jakaya Kikwete visiting him in his tailor shop
    Image caption: Outgoing President Kikwete (L) has been a client in the past

    The only thing he needs help with is working out which colours are which; he does the rest of the work by himself.

  10. Politicians warned over Mugabe succession

    Brian Hungwe

    BBC Africa, Harare

    Saviour Kasukuwere, Zimbabwe's local government minister, has hit out at people with presidential ambitions within the ruling Zanu-PF party.

    "Politicians were visiting witchdoctors, religious prophets… seeking divine assistance [on how to succeed 91-year-old President Robert Mugabe]," he told those attending Grace Mugabe's rally today in the east of the country.

    It seems Mr Kasukuwere may have been referring Mr Mugabe's deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was pictured in Zimbabwe's Daily News paper this week in the white robes of the "Vapostori" religious sect. The paper alleged he had gone to seek help in getting the top job.

    Emmerson Mnangagwa and Robert Mugabe
    Image caption: Emmerson Mnangagwa became President Mugabe's deputy in December - at the time with Grace Mugabe's support

    The 44-year-old insisted that Mr Mugabe would be Zanu-PF's presidential candidate for the 2018 elections.

    He made his brief speech after the first lady had completed her two-hour address (see 15:06 post) and it helps shed light on the divisive nature of succession politics within Zanu PF.

  11. Accused Angolan rapper in hospital

    A researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch, and former BBC Africa journalist, has been tweeting about the case of Angolan rapper Luaty Beirao, who was charged along with 15 others in June for allegedly planning to attack and overthrow President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. 

    Civil society groups and opposition parties have condemned the arrests as an abuse of power and a violation of freedom of expression:

    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
  12. Grace Mugabe hits out at political rivals

    Brian Hungwe

    BBC Africa, Harare

    Grace Mugabe did not hold back at her rally in Zimbabwe's eastern Chimanimani province.

    The first lady attacked her political rivals, but without naming names.

    It was broadcast live and attended by Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, at least six ministers and thousands of party supporters - as well as a police band to provide the music.

    Clad in the yellow ruling party regalia, which had pictures of her husband printed on them, she spoke for about two hours articulating government policy positions on energy, land, local government and empowerment programmes.

    She spoke with authority, occasionally asking ministers to come to the podium to explain what her husband, President Robert Mugabe, had tasked them to do.

    It is worth noting that she does not hold a position in government.

    Grace Mugabe in 2013
    Image caption: Grace Mugabe is head of the ruling Zanu-PF's women's league

    She also raged against factionalism within the ruling Zanu-PF party - seemingly linked to who should succeed the 91-year-old president (see 12:29 post) - warning that some senior politicians would suffer the same fate as Mr Mugabe's former deputy, Joice Mujuru, who was expelled last year.

    "You stop it, whoever is engaging in factionalism… It will blow [up] in your face, last year we had politicians that left the party.

    "When things go wrong I will blow the whistle, don't push me to the limit. I'm a referee in this game."

    The first lady also spoke against introducing pre-paid power metres on farms. The state electricity firm has complained that farmers are not paying their bills.

  13. Hayatou: 'I am Fifa president'

    Cameroonian football official Issa Hayatou has just released a statement confirming that he is the new Fifa boss, following the suspension of Sepp Blatter.

    "I will serve only on an interim basis," he said.

    "A new president will be chosen by the Extraordinary Congress on 26 February 2016. I myself will not be a candidate for that position."

    Sepp Blatter listens to Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou (R) - February 2015
    Image caption: Sepp Blatter and Issa Hayatou, who heads the Confederation of African Football, have worked closely for years

    "Fifa remains committed to the reform process, which is critical to reclaiming public trust. We will also continue to co-operate fully with authorities and follow the internal investigation wherever it leads," he added.

    "Football has never enjoyed greater support throughout the world, and that is something everyone associated with Fifa should be proud of."

  14. Fifa's 'giant step'

    Liberia football chief Musa Bility says Fifa has taken a "giant step" towards cleaning up the sport by suspending Sepp Blatter and other top officials.

    Issa Hayatou had "sufficient experience" to steady the Fifa ship "if he wishes to do that", Mr Bility told BBC Africa Sport.

    Mr Hayatou should immediately call a meeting of the Fifa executive, he added.

    "We are in the process of changing football for a lifetime, and no-one in football has a right to tamper with that at this point."

    Musa Bility
    Image caption: Musa Bility has declared his intention to run for Mr Blatter's job when elections are held
  15. Three things for Tanzania's next president

    BBC Africa teams are going around Tanzania ahead of elections later this month, asking voters what the new president should address.

    Today they're using the hashtag #ishutatu - meaning "three issues" in Swahili.

    Khadija Liganga, a mother, dressmaker and sports fan in the north-eastern town of Mwanza, told the BBC's Tulanana Bohela, her three things:

    Khadija Liganga
    1. She wants more financial support for small start-ups like hers.
    2. She loves football but the local football pitch has been closed for more than a year, mid-repair.
    3. And despite Mwanza having direct access to Lake Victoria, she complains that the price of fish has become too high.
    Mwanza football pitch

    The main presidential contenders in the polls in 25 October are John Magufuli from the ruling CCM party and Edward Lowassa, a former prime minister, from Chadema.

  16. BreakingCameroon's Hayatou named as Fifa acting president

    issa hayatou

    It's official - Cameroon's Issa Hayatou has been named as the new acting Fifa president, making him the first African to lead world football's governing body. It follows the suspension of long-term President Sepp Blatter earlier today.

    "Issa Hayatou, as the longest-serving vice-president on Fifa's Executive Committee, will serve as Acting President of Fifa," a Fifa statement said.

    Read the full BBC story

    fifa statement
  17. Grace Mugabe 'unconquerable'

    Grace Mugabe's rally in Chimanimani in eastern Zimbabwe looks like a colourful event, says the BBC's Brian Hungwe, who's watching it on state TV.

    The crowds include ministers and youths wearing green, red and yellow party regalia bearing her image.

    One T-shirt has the word "unconquerable" printed beneath her photo, our reporter says.

    Grace Mugabe pictured in a Zanu-PF print dress in 2008 in Zimbabwe
    Image caption: Grace Mugabe entered politics last year
  18. Is Cameroon's Issa Hayatou now Fifa president?

    issa hayatou
    Image caption: Hayatou has denied allegations of corruption

    We've put our best sporting brains on to this one. The question is whether Issa Hayatou, president of the Confederation of African Football president (Caf), is now Fifa's interim president, after the suspension of Sepp Blatter, who is facing a criminal investigation by Swiss authorities - and denies any wrongdoing. 

    BBC Africa Sport's Piers Edwards points out this excerpt from the Fifa statutes:

    Article 30.6: 

    “If the President is permanently or temporarily prevented from performing his official function, the longest-serving vice-president shall represent him until the next Congress. This Congress shall elect a new President, if necessary”

    Hayatou is by far and away the longest serving vice-president – beating the next best by six years, Piers says. 

     BBC Africa Sport's Nick Cavell adds:

    Yes – as per the Fifa statutes Caf President Issa Hayatou is the man to take charge of Fifa as the organisation’s only senior vice-president. However this is yet to be confirmed by Fifa.

    So technically it appears that Hayatou should become Fifa's interim president, but would he accept the position if it were offered? BBC Sport's Richard Conway has his doubts:

  19. Fury over Kenya parliament power cut

    MPs in Kenya have reacted furiously after the electricity supply to parliament was cut for three days apparently because of an unpaid bill of $97,000 (£63,000).

    MPs also said they had not received their allowances and some parliamentary staff had not been paid.

    The government and parliamentary officials have not yet commented.

    The BBC News story has more - including allegations that the parliament has also faced water shortages.

    Kenya's Supreme Court judges file into the chamber during the opening of the 11th Parliament in the capital Nairobi April 16, 2013
    Image caption: Kenya's MPs are among the highest paid in the world
  20. Packed classes in Kenya's Kakuma camp

    The BBC's Emmanuel Igunza is in the Kakuma refugee camp in north-western Kenya, where the huge number of students is proving a struggle. With a population of 190,000, there are only 35 schools in the camp, where many people from South Sudan live.Classes like this one in the camp's oldest secondary school are overcrowded. There should be a maximum of 50 pupils, but most have more than 80:

    Classroom in Kakuma camp
  21. Analysis: Grace Mugabe's political ambitions

    Brian Hungwe

    BBC Africa, Harare

    Grace Mugabe's rally today in Chimanani has kicked off and is being shown live by state-run ZBC TV.

    It shows just how seriously Zimbabwe's first lady is taking her political career.

    Last year, the 50-year-old took over the ruling party's women's league after spearheading the expulsion of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and her supporters from Zanu-PF.

    President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace wave to supporters at a Zimbabwean Defence Forces day commemoration in Harare, 11 August 2015
    Image caption: Robert and Grace Mugabe married in 1996 and have three children

    Recently, she has been attacking President Robert Mugabe's deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, the main contender to succeed her 91-year-old husband.There are now appears to be two factions within Zanu-of - one led by Mrs Grace, calling itself "Generation 40" and representing the younger members, and the other by Mr Mnangagwa, aged 69.However, Zanu-PF has already said Mr Mugabe will be its presidential contender for the 2018 polls - and the subject of succession is unlikely to be mentioned officially at the ruling party's congress in December.

    Read Brian's profile of Grace Mugabe.

  22. BreakingFifa suspends Blatter

    Fifa has suspended its President Sepp Blatter, Secretary General Jerome Valcke and Vice-President Michel Platini for 90 days.

    Former Fifa vice-president Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined 100,000 Swiss Francs (£67,000, $107,000).

    The punishments were handed out by Fifa's ethics committee.

    According to Fifa rules, technically Cameroon's Issa Hayatou, Blatter's senior vice-president, should now take over the running of world football's governing body.

    Issa Hayatou
    Image caption: Issa Hayatou is the head of African football
  23. South Africa's 'weapon of mass destruction'

    Here's another depiction of last night's record-breaking hat-trick by Springbok winger Bryan Habana - this time by the cartoonist Jeremy Nell, known by his pen name Jerm:

    View more on twitter

    Habana scored three times in 21 minutes in the second half of the match against the USA to draw level with Jonah Lomu's mark of 15 World Cup tries.   

  24. Villagers unhappy about '$8 Grace Mugabe fee'

    Zimbabwe's First lady Grace Mugabe is heading east to Cashel Valley in Chimanimani to hold a political rally today, but according to NewZimbabwe.com villagers are unhappy about having to pay $8 (£5.20) to attend.

    "We are being forced to pay money to attend a rally at Cashel Valley," said one villager.

    "They say transport to the venue is for free, but each person has to pay $4 for transport back from Chimanimani and the other $4 is allegedly for the venue."

    Zimbabwe's First Lady Grace Mugabe addressing - October 2014

    Most of those interviewed in area of Buhera South said they were afraid to boycott the rally for fear of being labelled supporters of the opposition or "Gamatox", a reference to those recently expelled from the ruling Zanu-PF party and the name of a local pesticide.

    Local MP Joseph Chinotimba denied the allegations and said his constituents were "jostling" to book a place in one of the five buses hired to take people to the rally, NewZimbabwe.com reports.

  25. Exhibition to celebrate West Africa's cultural history

    This saddlebag Qur'an (pictured below) from the late 18th or early 19th Century will be one of the cultural treasures on show in a new British Library exhibition on West African literature and music. 

    The curator of West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song has been tweeting about the exhibition:

    View more on twitter
  26. South Sudan draw first World Cup game

    It's ended 1-1 in South Sudan's historic World Cup qualifier against Mauritania in Juba. It was the first ever World Cup game for the world's youngest nation, which is in the midst of an ongoing civil war. 

    The second leg will be played in Nouakchott, Mauritania's capital, next Tuesday. If South Sudan wins there, they'll be into the group stages for qualification for Russia 2018: 

    View more on twitter
  27. BreakingRwanda court backs third term bid

    Rwanda's Supreme Court has ruled in favour of changing the constitution and dismissed the case brought by the opposition Green Party protesting at moves to allow President Paul Kagame to run for a third seven-year term.

    "The petition... has no basis and is hereby dismissed," the AFP news agency quotes Chief Justice Sam Rugege as saying.

    MPs agreed to change the constitution in July and to hold a national referendum on the issue.

    "Denying the free will of the people to choose how they are governed is not democratic, rather it is the opposite," the judge said

    Rwanda's leader Paul Kagame
    Image caption: President Kagame won elections in 2003 and 2010
  28. EU to debate faster migrant deportations

    Plans to speed up the deportation of failed asylum seekers are to be discussed at a meeting of European Union ministers today.

    The home affairs ministers are expected to approve measures including the detention of those who may abscond before they can be expelled.

    More pressure could also be brought to bear on many countries of origin to take people back.

    Migrants rescued off the Libyan coast peer out a gate of the Siem Pilot Norwegian ship to get the first sight of the Sardinia island as they sail in the Mediterranean sea towards the Italian port of Cagliari, Thursday 3 September 2015
    Image caption: More than 600,000 people have arrived in Europe so far this year

    Read the BBC News story for more

  29. South Sudan's World Cup campaign resumes

    It's South Sudan 1-1 Mauritania after 57 minutes played in Juba, in the home side's first ever World Cup game.

    Play was suspended on Wednesday because of heavy rain, but not before South Sudan's Dominic Abui Pretino scored the Bright Stars' first World Cup goal. 

    Get live score updates on the Fifa website

    One fan has been tweeting from the game:

    View more on twitter

    South Sudan also debuted their new strip on Wednesday:

    View more on twitter
  30. Zapiro celebrates Habana hat-rick

    South African cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro, known as Zapiro, has been celebrating the hat-trick by Bryan Habana when the Springboks trounced the Eagles last night.

    The winger scored three times in 21 minutes (see earlier post at 09:05).

    View more on twitter
  31. Rwandan court to rule on third term

    The Supreme Court in Rwanda is to rule on a case brought by the country's small opposition Green Party against moves to allow President Paul Kagame to run for a third seven-year term.

    In July, the parliament backed a motion to change the constitution to allow the 57-year-old to run again. The issue is expected to be put to a national referendum.

    Paul Kagame
  32. Ebola success for Guinea and Sierra Leone

    Guinea and Sierra Leone have recorded their first week with no new Ebola cases since the outbreak began in March 2014.

    Liberia has already been declared free of Ebola transmission after 42 days without a new case. The country received the declaration for a second time last month, following a flare-up in June.

    The epidemic is the worst known occurrence of Ebola in history
    Image caption: The epidemic is the worst known occurrence of Ebola in history

    Sierra Leone released its last known Ebola patients on 28 September and must now wait to be declared free of Ebola transmission.

    Guinea's most recent cases were recorded on 27 September.

    The outbreak has so far killed more than 11,000 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    New cases have fallen sharply in 2015, but the WHO has warned that the disease could break out again.

  33. Springboks thrash USA to reach quarter-finals

    South African winger Bryan Habana equalled Jonah Lomu's World Cup try-scoring record with a hat-trick, as the Springboks thumped USA 64-0 to reached book their place in the quarter-finals.

    The winger scored three times in 21 minutes in the second half to draw level with Lomu's mark of 15 World Cup tries.

    South Africa now top Pool B, despite their shock defeat to Japan in their opening game.

    They will now play their quarter-final against the loser of Saturday's Pool A decider between Australia and Wales.

    Bryan Habana record

    Read the full BBC Sport story

  34. Wise words

    Today's African proverb: "He who wants to be famous will have many sleepless nights." Sent by Robert in London, UK.

    Click here to send your African proverbs.

  35. Good morning

    Welcome to the BBC Africa Live page where we'll be keeping you up to date with the news stories on the continent.

    Get involved: Email us on africalive@bbc.co.uk with your comments.