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Live Reporting

Clare Spencer and Damian Zane

All times stated are UK

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  1. Scroll down for Friday's stories

    We'll be back next week

    That's it from us this week. Keep up-to-date with what's happening across the continent by listening to the Africa Today podcast or checking the BBC News website.  

    A reminder of today's wise words:

    Quote Message: Don't set sail using someone else's star." from Sent by Tiondi Christopher Buni, Juba, South Sudan
    Sent by Tiondi Christopher Buni, Juba, South Sudan

    Click here to send in your proverb.

    And we leave you with this picture from Kenya which is in our collection of the best pictures from across the continent this week.

    mobile phone
  2. Nigerian 'slapped' MP speaks out

    Nigeria's prison chief has been summoned before parliament after his aide was accused of slapping a female MP.

    Onyemaechi Mrakpor says she was assaulted by one of Peter Ekpendu's bodyguards, calling the experience "humiliating".

    "I wondered, if that could happen to me, what the other helpless Nigerians will be going through," she said.

    Mrs Mrakpor says the incident took place when she had tried to overtake Mr Ekpendu's motor convoy.

    She spoke to the BBC's Chris Ewokor:

    View more on Soundcloud
  3. Obama says 'no plans' for ground troops in Libya

    US President Barack Obama has said at a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister David Cameron that there are no plans to send ground troops into Libya to help stabilise the country.

    He added that it would be a challenge to support the nascent UN-backed government.

    There are still rival administrations in the country and the so-called Islamic State group holds territory there too.

    Obama and Cameron at press conference
  4. Nigerian employers overwhelmed with applicants

    Isa Sanusi

    BBC Africa, Abuja

    Recently Nigerian police launched a recruitment campaign and they received 705,352 applications for 10,000 jobs.

    Typically applicants far overwhelm available vacancies. 

    Official statistics say unemployment stands at 9% but many believe it is much higher.

    In 2014 about 20 job seekers died in a stampede at a job screening for immigration officers.

    Roadside job adverts like these can attract a lot of attention.

    job advert
  5. Ivorian Kolo Toure still part of Jurgen Klopp's plans

    Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure is still part of his plans, but needs to talk to him about his future.

    The 35-year-old will be out of contract at the end of this season but is yet to discuss a new deal.

    "Kolo is a very, very important player for us, even when he doesn't play," said the former Borussia Dortmund boss.

    "He's one of the most impressive people I have met, but now is not the right time to speak about Kolo's future."

    Read more on BBC Sport

    Jurgen Klopp and Kolo Toure
  6. Manu Dibango pays tribute to Prince

    People around the world have been mourning the death of US music star Prince.

    Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango paid his own tribute when he came into the BBC today.

    He said that Prince will be one of the few who will be remembered forever.

    Video content

    Video caption: Manu Dibango pays tribute to Prince
  7. The rise of affordable solar power in Kenya

    In Kenya, more and more people can buy relatively affordable solar panels.

    They pay a $35 (£24) upfront fee plus daily payments of 50 Kenyan shillings ($0.50; £0.34) and after a year, the electricity they get is free. 

    What's more, it's a profitable business.

    Finance director of Mkopa, which sells the solar panels, told Africa Business Report that there is money to be made in solar power.

    Video content

    Video caption: Kenya's affordable solar power projects
  8. Ugandan university suspends academic after nude protest

    Patience Atuhaire

    BBC Africa, Kampala

    Uganda's Makerere University appointments board has ruled to suspend academic Stella Nyanzi pending investigations into issues that led to her nude protest.

    She stripped to her underwear earlier this week to demonstrate against being evicted from her office at Makerere University. 

    The incident caused a big storm on social media in Uganda as people debated whether it was an appropriate way to register her feelings.  

    Stella Nyanzi
  9. Arrested Mali hotel attack mastermind 'was planning new attack'

    Mali authorities say that the man arrested over allegedly plotting November's deadly attack on the luxury Radisson Blu hotel in the capital, Bamako, is Mauritanian Fawaz Ould Ahmeida.

    A security source in Mali has told the BBC that Mr Ahmeida is alleged to be the operations chief of al-Murabitoune - the Islamist militant group behind the attack.

    And he was allegedly planning an attack today on a place known to be frequented by westerners in the Malian capital.

    Fawaz Ould Ahmeida
    Image caption: The Mali authorities released this picture of Fawaz Ould Ahmeida to the AFP news agency
  10. What does it mean to be African-British?

    In the US African-American is a term that describes a connection with a broad heritage, but in the UK African-British is a term many are unfamiliar with. 

    So we asked people with roots in both Africa and Britain this question: 

    "What does it mean to be African-British?"

    Abira
    Betty
    Isaac
    Tania
  11. East Africa's oil pipeline controversy

    BBC Monitoring

    Ugandan, Kenyan and Tanzanian ministers are discussing the proposed route of a pipeline that's set to carry oil from landlocked Uganda to the East African coast. Tanzania and Kenya are vying to have the pipeline to go through their countries.

    The issue has been a source of tension between the three states.

    Why does it matter?

    The pipeline, and resultant oil revenues, have been touted as key drivers in the transformation of the region's economies - and therefore could give an economic boost to whichever country it runs through.

    What's at stake?

    Kenya and Tanzania are in competition to convince Uganda over the route to transport the oil, but multinational oil firms are also involved in the race. The UK's Tullow Oil and Japanese Toyota Tsusho back the Kenyan routes, while France's Total is rooting for Tanzania.

    What is Uganda saying?

    Uganda has expressed concerns over the high land prices of the two proposed Kenyan routes, and the fact that construction of the Lamu port will only start in 2022. Uganda says the Tanzanian route will allow it to start exports in 2020.

    Exploration well on Lake Albert
    Image caption: It's estimated that Uganda has 6.5 billion barrels of oil to pump out
  12. Kenyatta gives $10m to support khat farmers

    Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta is giving $10m (£7m) to the country's farmers of the narcotic crop known as miraa or khat.

    It is widely used by Somalis and has been an important money earner for some growers.

    But, in a statement from Mr Kenyatta's office, the president says that a European import ban has presented "challenges" to the farmers.

    Mr Kenyatta announced the money as he signed into law a bill that recognises miraa as a cash crop, obliging the government "to establish mechanisms for promotion, production, distribution and marketing" of the narcotic.

    Chewing khat
  13. Mali hotel attack mastermind 'arrested'

    The mastermind behind last November's attack on the luxury Radisson Blu hotel in Mali's capital, Bamako, has been arrested, the AFP news agency reports, quoting anonymous security sources.

    Twenty-two people died in the siege, including the two attackers.  

    AFP says that the Mauritanian man was picked up in Bamako.

    It adds that he also took part in an attack on a bar in the city in March 2015 and planned the August attack on the Byblos hotei in central Mali.

    Soldiers outside hotel
    Image caption: The attackers were killed after the army stormed the hotel
  14. Standing up against #TeamNatural

    Nigerian natural hair blogger Natural Nimi has hit out against the so-called natural hair community on Nigerian lifestyle site Bella Naija:

    Quote Message: Dear #TeamNatural, if I wear a straight weave or wig, I am not betraying anybody. Is it not on my own head? I don’t know why you want to carry my pot of beans on your head. It is not ‘our hair.’ What I choose to do is entirely my choice. Respect my choices, and keep your opinion to yourself. Thank you."

    Some argue that letting your hair grow naturally is a way to get in touch with your culture.

    See ore here: Being African: What does hair have to do with it?

    Last year we wrote about the growing trend on social media to document every step of the journey of relaxing your hair, as shown here by photographer Fify Loewen:  

    Fify Loewen

    Read more about the politics of hair:

    In pictures: My natural hair journey

    The women saying no, 'afropuff' hair is not unruly

  15. Who are the morality police?

    News that Iran has deployed thousands of undercover agents to enforce rules on dress has cast the spotlight on an institution that is a major feature of daily life in Sudan as well - the morality police.

    Officially, they are known as the Public Order Police.

    They were set up in 1993 to enforce Sharia enshrined in law for Muslims in Sudan by President Omar al-Bashir.

    The force is known for shutting down private mixed-sex events, admonishing women for immodest dress and raiding businesses seen as being in breach of Islamic law.

    It drew international condemnation when female journalist Lubna al-Hussein was arrested and jailed after being caught wearing loose-fitting trousers in public in 2008.

    Sudanese journalist Lubna al-Hussein (l) talks to the press outside the court in Khartoum on 4 August 2009
    Image caption: Sudanese journalist Lubna al-Hussein (L) was prosecuted for wearing trousers

    Read more on morality police around the world from BBC Monitoring.

  16. What does our African proverb mean?

    We start off everyday with some words of wisdom sent in by a reader. 

    But some days the proverbs can be confusing.

    So we turn to commenters on the Facebook page to explain what it means. 

    Today Gilson da Silva from Angola's capital Luanda explains that "don't set sail using someone else's star" means "don't pretend to be something you're not".   

    We also like these two interpretations:

    Quote Message: Don't set out on a journey using someone else's donkey. from Sent by Carlanjah John Joyce
    Sent by Carlanjah John Joyce
    Quote Message: Don't charge your iPhone using a Nokia charger. from sent by Patrick Nwokolo from Port Harcourt, Nigeria
    sent by Patrick Nwokolo from Port Harcourt, Nigeria
    Naziru Mikailu
    Image caption: We can confirm the same applies for Samsung
  17. Athletes and dignitaries turn out for Kenya bill signing

    The spokesman for Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has tweeted a picture of the signing into law of a new anti-doping measure.

    It was witnessed by a large crowd including some prominent athletes:

    View more on twitter
  18. Three Red Cross workers kidnapped in Mali are released

    The International Committee of the Red Cross says that its three employees who were kidnapped in northern Mali nearly a week ago have been freed.

    Its director of operations tweeted the news:

    View more on twitter

    The president of the ICRC welcomed the news:

    View more on twitter

    The AP news agency reports that the three were originally kidnapped by the Islamist militant group Ansar Dine.

  19. Daladala strike in Tanzania's Morogoro town

    We love hearing about the news where you are and Tanzanian reader Michael Mwanbanga has told us that in his town of Morogoro drivers of minibuses, called daladalas, are striking for a second day in a row.  

    It's caused a lot of inconvenience and commuters have had to take pick up trucks instead.

    Michael took this picture:

    Pick up trucks

    EATV reports that the drivers are complaining about what they call unreasonable fines levied by the authorities. 

    Do send us your stories and pictures to +447341070844.

  20. Ethiopian Jews prepare for Passover in Gondar

    Tonight sees the start of the Jewish festival of Passover which marks the biblical story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt and the journey to the Holy Land.

    And, like Jews around the world, the community of around 9,000 Falashmura - Ethiopian Jews - in Gondar, northern Ethiopia, are getting ready.

    Festivities begin with a meal - or seder - where the unleavened bread, matzah, is eaten.

    The BBC's Emmanuel Igunza snapped the Jews in Gondar sorting through the matzah:

    Men sorting out food

    It's also traditional to eat a hard-boiled egg in salt water, symbolising, according to some interpretations, sadness over the slavery the Jews had to endure, and rebirth:

    Woman with two large buckets of eggs

    And a paste made up of nuts, ginger and bananas - called haroset - is also eaten. That represents the mortar used to build the pyramids in Egypt.

    Women pounding flour

    The Falashmura are soon hoping to emigrate to Israel, in a modern day recreation of the Passover story.