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Live Reporting

Clare Spencer and Damian Zane

All times stated are UK

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  1. Scroll down for Tuesday's stories

    We'll be back tomorrow

    That's all from the BBC Africa Live page today. 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: The path does not close on a man with a machete." from Sent Byokwerowat Nyero Michael, Gulu, Uganda
    Sent Byokwerowat Nyero Michael, Gulu, Uganda

    Click here and scroll to the bottom to send us your African proverbs.  

    And we leave you with this picture from Ghana's capital Accra in the aftermath of the Chale Wote street art festival:

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  2. Man who named dog 'Buhari' charged with breaching the peace

    Last week we quoted a report in Nigeria's Vanguard newspaper that a man had been arrested in Ogun state, in the south of the country, after naming his dog after President Muhammdu Buhari.

    We said that he had been released without charge, but now it turns out that he was charged with a breach of the public peace.

    A police spokesman said that the man, Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, had painted the name Buhari on both sides of the dog and went to an area where there were many northerners, which is where President Buhari comes from.

    He said the police thought that this could antagonise people.

    Mr Chinakwe had earlier said that the naming was a compliment:

    Quote Message: I named my beloved pet dog Buhari, who is my hero. My admiration for Buhari started far back when he was a military head of state. It continued till date that he is a civilian president."
  3. What does our proverb mean?

    Machete in path
    Image caption: Is the machete a tool or a characteristic?

    Every day we start off the live page with a proverb sent in by a reader.

    The wise words are meant to help us through our day.

    But it all depends on the interpretation.

    That's where we turn to you for help.

    Take today's proverb, sent in by Byokwerowat Nyero Michael from Gulu in Uganda:

    Quote Message: The path does not close on a man with a machete."

    It has not been taken to mean exactly the same thing to our commentors on Facebook.

    Ebenezer King Otoo from Kumasi in Ghana thinks it's about strength of character:

    Quote Message: A determined man always find his way through close doors."

    As does Suubi Samali:

    Quote Message: Opportunity and progress will continue for as long as you keep working and searching."

    But Martins Chika Martins in Abuja, Nigeria, says you need more than character to succeed: 

    Quote Message: When you have resources, nothing stops you from getting what you want."
  4. Kerry in talks with Nigeria's president

    The US Secretary of State John Kerry has just finished holding talks with Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari on the first day of his visit to the country.

    It hasn't yet been revealed what they talked about, but the Twitter account for Mr Buhari's office did share this video of the two men:

    View more on twitter
  5. That spectacular sole Ethiopian gold medal

    Gold medallist Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana runs with Ethiopia's national flag after the Women's 10,000m during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 12, 2016.

    We reported earlier that Ethiopians had expressed disappointment about the country's athletes only bringing back one gold from the Rio Olympics.

    It should be pointed out that the one and only gold was a pretty spectacular one.

    Almaz Ayana smashed the women's 10,000m world record that was long believed to be unsurpassable.

    Not only that but she knocked 14 seconds off the record, finishing in 29 minutes 17.45 seconds.

    Former Olympian and BBC commentator Steve Cram described it as "one of the greatest pieces of distance running you'll ever see".

    And it featured on our sports reporter Piers Edwards' shortlist of 10 things to remember from the Olympics.

  6. Nigeria police recruits to undergo lie detector tests

    All new recruits to the Nigerian police force with have to take a polygraph - or lie detection - test, alongside all their other tests, to check whether they are fit to serve, a police statement says.

    "The polygraph test is aimed at ensuring that candidates are not of questionable character," it adds.

    Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris ordered the tests while checking on the recruitment of 10,000 new officers.

    The statement says that recruits should "conform to [the] acceptable standards necessary for an ideal police officer [that] the Nigerian people deserve".

    Nigeria police at a demonstration
    Image caption: Rights groups have criticised Nigeria's police force over alleged human rights violations
  7. Seven arrested in Madagascar after double murder

    Police investigating the murder of two French volunteers on an island off Madagascar have arrested seven suspects, reports AFP news agency. 

    Authorities arrested four people who were at the same nightclub as the two victims on Sunday, but have not yet established a firm link to the murders, AFP adds. 

    Three more suspects were arrested on Tuesday, the prosecutor told AFP. 

    Thierry Rajaona Lauret is quoted as saying he doesn't know the motive for the murder.

    The bodies of a man and a woman aged in their 20s were found Sunday on a beach of Sainte Marie with head injuries. 

    Tourists in a boat view an humpstack whale jumping in the air, 24 August 2004.
    Image caption: The two had been volunteering at a charity helping ocean mammals
  8. Malema to ANC: You can jump into the nearest hell

    Leader of South Africa's opposition EFF Julius Malema has been enjoying the aftermath of the local elections, where his party, along with the DA, ate into the ANC's huge share of the vote.

    The ANC lost overall control of some key municipal councils.

    Mr Malema has been speaking at the local election debate in parliament. Rounding on the ANC MPs who he accused of selling out the people he told them: "You can jump into the nearest hell."

    View more on youtube
  9. Twitter backlash after UK MP's Olympics Empire tweet

    In post Brexit-vote Britain people are looking for new partnerships in the wake of the impending split with the European Union.

    One MP has invoked the British Empire

    View more on twitter

    So she's included medals from Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria.

    Some have not taken kindly to her suggestion:

    View more on twitter

    Read more from BBC News.

  10. South Sudan's Machar 'in Sudan for medical treatment'

    Rachael Akidi

    Editor, BBC Focus on Africa

    South Sudan’s deposed Vice-President Riek Machar has arrived in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, for medical treatment, according to a statement from the Sudanese government published by the state news agency Suna

    The statement says:

    Quote Message: Sudan has recently received Dr Riek Machar, on purely humanitarian reasons top of which his need for urgent medical attention...
    Quote Message: The health condition of Dr Machar is now stable and he will stay in the country under full medical supervision until he leaves the country for a destination of his choice to complete his medical treatment."
    Riek Machar and Salva Kiir
    Image caption: Riek Machar (left) was dropped as first vice president by Preisdent Salva Kiir (right) after the violence in the capital, Juba, last month
  11. Ethiopian athletes criticised for picking up only one gold

    Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia competes during the Women's 5000m Final on Day 14 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 19, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
    Image caption: Runner Almaz Ayana won Ethiopia's only gold

    Veteran Ethiopian gold medal winner Keninisa Bekele has called Team Ethiopia's performance at the Olympics "shocking". 

    Ethiopia are set to return today with one gold, compared to three at London 2012.  

    While speaking on local radio station Fana he went on to say that he believes Ethiopian athletics is currently "at risk". 

    Elshadi Negash, an Ethiopian former sports correspondent called the result "atrocious" on his Facebook page

    "What are needed are painful, often-unpopular, and longer-term reforms" he said.

  12. Semenya says she has 'no time' for critics

    South Africa's Olympians received a triumphant welcome today as they touched down in Johannesburg after leaving Rio.

    A lot of attention was focused on 800m gold medallist Caster Semenya who some have suggested should not have run in a women's race in Rio because of her hyperandrogenism.

    But, as TimesLive reports, she told journalists at the airport that she has "no time" for those who have criticised her.

    You can see clips of her speaking here:

    View more on youtube
  13. Bruce Lee takes up position on a South African city council

    We've already had Vasco da Gama becoming the speaker of the council in South Africa's main city Johannesburg.

    The Democratic Alliance councillor shares his name with a 15th/16th Century Portuguese explorer.

    Now someone has spotted that Bruce Lee has taken up a position on the council in Tshwane, the area that includes the capital, Pretoria.

    View more on twitter
  14. US conditions for more assistance to South Sudan

    We've been reporting on the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to Nigeria today, but comments that he made in Kenya on Monday are still making headlines.

    South Sudan's Eye Radio says it's got an exclusive following an interview with Mr Kerry.

    Screengrab from Eye Radio's website

    He was talking about the money that the US could give to South Sudan more funding if the peace agreement signed last year to end the country's civil war is implemented.

    He said:

    Quote Message: If they choose not to do that, then we, who have been the largest donor in the world to the government of South Sudan, will have to rethink what we are doing because we are not [going to] work with the government that is not willing to work with itself and with its own people.”

    The peace process has hit a problem following clashes in the capital, Juba, last month.

    SInce then, Riek Machar, who led rebel forces in the civil war has left the country and has been sacked as First Vice President.

    Mr Kerry said one aspect of the peace process that needs to be implemented is the creation of a court to try those suspected of committing crimes during the civil war, which began in December 2013.

  15. Investigation launched after power station explosion

    Nadege Sinarinzi

    BBC Africa, Dakar

    Authorities in Senegal are investigating an explosion at an electric power distribution station east of the capital, Dakar, which caused a nationwide blackout on Monday.

    Three people were injured and taken to hospital in the town of Thies.

    The power supply has now returned to normal.   

    The power shortage even affected neighbouring Mali and Mauritania.

    Some sources blame the old infrastructure which is in need of renovation while others suggest an act of vandalism. 

    The general director of the national electricity company, Senelec, Mouhamadou Makhtar Cisse, has refused to speculate but did not discount an act of sabotage. 

  16. Zambian president waits longer for inauguration

    Edgar Lungu

    Zambia's President-elect Edgar Lungu has to wait even longer for his inauguration, as the Constitutional Court has adjourned the case challenging his win until tomorrow afternoon.

    The case is looking at the opposition petition asking for a recount of the election vote which he won with 50.35% of the vote.

    He was meant to be inaugurated as president today but Zambia's constitution says any inauguration has to be delayed until the Constitutional Court rules on the case.

    So today's adjournment delays the inauguration even further. 

  17. Uganda's singing policeman

    screengrab of music video

    Our reporter in Uganda, Patience Atuhaire, has spotted a policeman who has released his own song about how great the police force is:

    View more on youtube

    The lyrics include the line "Uganda police today are not like the past - transformed from colonial to professional, we are not national, we are international".

    The policeman Dennis Ojobole, who is a member of the Police Jazz Band, sings the chorus "police, we are physically fit" quite a few times.

    There is a growing lack of faith in the force's ability to protect its citizens, our reporter says. 

    That skepticism is because of the brutality meted out on the opposition over the last few years. 

    Robberies and house burglaries have become rampant in some areas of the capital Kampala, she adds.

  18. Critics suspicious of Zambian media houses closing

    Yesterday, Zambia's Independent Broadcasting Corporation suspended broadcasting licenses for three private media stations.

    The official reason was "unprofessional conduct posing a risk to national peace and stability" around the time of the presidential election earlier this month.

    But today critics are claiming that there may be another motive for the closure as it comes at a time when a petition has been put forward challenging the result of the vote.

    One activist has tweeted this cartoon of President-elect Edgar Lungu (ECL):

    View more on twitter
  19. Kerry in warning to Nigeria military and police

    We've reported that US Secretary of State John Kerry urged the Nigerian government to build trust with the people as a means of tackling extremism and corruption. 

    He also warned the security forces that they need to police the country in a sensitive way:

    Quote Message: Building public trust also requires co-operation from law enforcement and the military.
    Quote Message: It is understandable that in the wake of terrorist activities some people are tempted to crack down on everyone and anyone who could theoretically pose some sort of a threat.
    Quote Message: I caution against that today extremism cannot be defeated through repression and just creating fear."

    Mr Kerry has also just tweeted this message:

    View more on twitter
  20. Sudanese migrant dies in migrant clash in northern France

    A Sudanese migrant has been killed and another injured in a fight near the northern French city of Calais, the AFP news agency is reporting.

    It quotes the police as saying that there were clashes between the Sudanese migrants and a group from Afghanistan.

    It came after the police pushed the migrants back after they attempted to access the area where they could stow-away on a lorry travelling to the UK.