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Human Rights Watch says a major oil project in East Africa will have dire consequences for the environment and local communities.

The French oil company Total and a Chinese state-owned oil firm signed a $10bn (£8bn) deal last year to develop Ugandan oil fields and build a 1,400km (870 mile) pipeline to the Tanzanian port of Tanga.

The New York-based rights group says the project will harm fragile ecosystems.

It says some of the tens of thousands of people being displaced have been poorly treated.

The European parliament has also denounced the project for similar reasons. Total has denied the allegations.

Despite the criticism, President Yoweri Museveni has vowed to go ahead with the project.

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Senior officials from east African countries have suggested a military deployment to Sudan where a three-month war is escalating.

Meeting in Ethiopia, the regional body Igad said sending in an East African stand-by force could help protect civilians and guarantee humanitarian access.

Given how intense the fighting is right now and the general lawlessness, it seems doubtful that any troops would be sent in soon.

An international presence is also likely to be opposed by the two sides fighting the war.

The meeting was meant to see face to face talks between the Sudanese army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

However an Igad statement said it was regrettable that the army delegation chose not to attend.

The Sudanese military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has accused Kenya - the regional body's chair - of failing to be neutral and supporting the RSF.

Read more about the war in Sudan:

• Sudan crisis: Burhan and Hemedti - the two generals at the heart of the conflict
• Sudan: Why has fighting broken out there?

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Tunisian authorities have suspended the salary payments of 17,000 teachers and sacked 350 school principals.

The move affects nearly a third of the country’s primary school teachers, and follows widespread recent protests by education staff across the country.

These protests have included refusing to hand in the school grades of pupils.

The Tunisian government has insisted that the country’s dire economic problems mean that the teachers’ pay demands are unaffordable.

Tunisia is facing high inflation, rising unemployment and severe shortages of some staple foods.

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In a blow to the Kenyan government, a court has dismissed a request by the state to lift the suspension of a new finance law which would lead to significant tax increases.

President William Ruto's government plans to double a fuel tax and other levies in order to increase its revenue to pay debts and fund projects.

Ten days ago the government said it was facing a budgetary crisis after a high court in Nairobi effectively halted the tax hikes.

The opposition called for nationwide protests against the taxes.

On Friday three people died and dozens were arrested when the police broke up demonstrations around the country.

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Joint Somali special forces, backed by foreign troops, are reported to have killed at least 40 members of the al-Qaeda-allied al-Shabab militant group in recent operations involving ground and air strikes in Somalia’s Lower Jubba region.

Somali state media say the operations took place in Welmarow village near Afmadow town.

The state-run Somali National News Agency said the army seized Welmarow village and Hagar town after destroying al-Shabab hideouts and a weapons depot.

However, pro al-Shabab media report the group has regained control of Hagar town.

According to Kenya’s Star newspaper, Kenyan forces that are part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) took part in the operations.

Al-Shabab controls swathes of Lower Jubba and the entire Middle Jubba region in southern Somalia.

In August 2022, the Somali federal government announced that it had launched a major offensive to recapture territory from al-Shabab.

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Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba has announced that he will seek a third term in office in presidential elections planned for August.

The Bongo family has already ruled Gabon for 55 years.

Ali Bongo took over in 2009 from his father Omar Bongo, who had himself been in power for more than 40 years.

The last elections held in 2016 were marred by claims of fraud. Mr Bongo defeated opposition candidate Jean Ping by less than 6,000 votes.

Mr Ping declared himself the winner and contested those results.

His passport was later confiscated and he was only allowed to leave the country this year after a five-year travel ban.