BBC News Middle East

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In the middle of Tunisia's heatwave, I step out into the scorching heat.

Just a few minutes after venturing outside, my phone showed a warning of overheating before it shut down.

With an unprecedented 116.4F (46.9C) being recorded in the south-western city of Tozeur, doctors are advising people to stay hydrated and remain indoors in air conditioning.

As the North African country is experiencing a fifth consecutive year of drought, disturbances over water have been recorded in many areas, including the outskirts of the capital, Tunis.

In some other cities, power outages are making things even harder.

The heatwave is affecting all of North Africa.

In Morocco, the National Agency for Water and Forests has warned of a high risk of wildfires across the kingdom, while Algeria has recorded some of the hottest temperatures in the world, with 47.4C reported in the coastal region of Chlef.

During the last week of April, temperatures across the region were up to 15C higher than normal for the time of year.

The current heatwave is expected to persist until at least 28 July. Tunisia’s National Meteorological Institute suggests the peak has not yet been reached.

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International campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Tunisian security agents of committing "serious abuses" against black African migrants attempting to get to Europe.

The campaign group said it had interviewed more than 20 migrants and asylum seekers since March.

Seven were among more than 1,000 black Africans expelled or forcibly transferred by the Tunisian authorities to the country's desert border regions with Libya and Algeria this month.

President Kais Saied has accused the migrants of violence and changing the country's demographic make-up.

HRW wants the European Union to withhold funding that was to be used to return the migrants home.

Read more about the recent EU deal with Tunisia here.

Algerian officials say at least 34 people have been killed in a road accident in the southern province of Tamanrasset.

The civil protection agency said a passenger bus collided with a utility vehicle before bursting into flames.

A further 12 people were injured.

Those involved have not yet been identified, but Tamanrasset is close to Niger and Mali, and is a frequent crossing point for migrants from sub-Saharan Africa trying to reach Europe.

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Some of the hottest temperatures today were expected in Tunisia, about one-third of which is covered by the Sahara Desert.

The Sahara is one of the world’s most inhospitable regions, yet migrants frequently cross it in the hopes of reaching the Mediterranean sea, and ultimately, Europe.

Following a wave of racist violence in the Tunisian city of Sfax, some sub-Saharan Africans have fled to a militarised buffer zone bordering Libya.

Officials in Libya have also accused Tunisia of dumping hundreds of migrants over the border in the desert - with no food, water or shelter.

Both Libya and the UN say they have rescued migrants from the border.

Tunisia - which recently signed a migration pact with the EU - has not commented on Libya's allegations.

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The Egyptian musicians' syndicate has cancelled a planned concert at the Giza pyramids by US rapper Travis Scott.

Egyptian media said the syndicate cited security and offence to traditions as the reasons for the decision.

International music stars often perform at the venue near the capital, Cairo, but recently there has been backlash against music deemed improper in Egypt.

Correspondents say social media commentators in Egypt have criticised Travis Scott for supporting Afro-centrism in Egypt, which promotes the legacy of black African culture in the country.

The comedian Kevin Hart had to cancel his show in Cairo in February following outrage over his claims that black Africans were pharaohs.

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Morocco is no stranger to high temperatures, but in recent days staff at the capital’s Rabat Zoo have taken extra precautions.

Frozen meals are being fed to the animals "taking into account the specific diet of each", head vet Saad Azizi told the AfricaNews website.

Mammals and birds are most at risk from the heatwave, he said, and staff are warned to limit the quantity of frozen food the animals eat so they don’t suffer side effects.

Some of the animals are also getting cold showers, and blocks of ice are being put in their enclosures to cool them down.

Temperatures on Tuesday are expected to top 40C (104F) in several towns and cities across Morocco – including Fez, Zagora and the tourist hotspot of Marrakesh.

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Morocco says that Israel has become the latest country to recognise its sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

The Moroccan foreign office said King Mohammed had received a letter from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming Israel's support for its claim.

Countries including Saudi Arabia and Jordan had already recognised the claim by Rabat, while more than 40 countries support its independence.

The Polisario Front has fought for the independence of the former Spanish colony since 1975, when Madrid withdrew and most of the territory was occupied by Morocco.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

A five-storey building has collapsed in Cairo killing at least eight people.

The building was located in a dense part of Hadayek el-Kobba, in central Cairo, Reuters news agency reports.

It is not uncommon for buildings to collapse in Egypt, due to poor construction standards in some areas.

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The European Union has signed a partnership deal with Tunisia's President Kaïs Saïed, partly aimed at combating people trafficking.

Tunisia has become the main departure point for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Announcing the deal in Tunis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised increased cooperation on border management and search and rescue operations.

Italy's far-right Prime Minister Georgia Meloni said it was an important step towards creating a true partnership in tackling what she called "the migration crisis".

Members of the European parliament have called for the deal to be conditional on respect for democracy and the rule of law in Tunisia. President Saïed dissolved parliament in 2021 and has re-written the constitution.

In recent months black Africans in Tunisia have suffered waves of racist violence, following controversial comments from President Saïed,who claimed there was a conspiracy to change the Arab-Muslim country's demographics.

More on this story:

• Tennis star Ons Jabeur urges 'dignity' amid migrants row
• Tunisia migrant attacks: 'They held a knife to my throat'
• PODCAST: Why are black Africans in Tunisia afraid?