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Live Reporting

Dickens Olewe 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 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: The camel's tail is far from the ground." from A Hausa proverb sent by Shamsuddeen Saminu, Dorayi, Kano, Nigeria
    A Hausa proverb sent by Shamsuddeen Saminu, Dorayi, Kano, Nigeria

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

    We leave you with this photograph from the EverydayAfrica Instagram account called The Boutique in the Tree from Accra, Ghana.

    View more on instagram
  2. South Sudan Olympian reunites with mother after 11 years

    South Sudan Olympian reunites with mother after 11 years

    The Olympics in Rio left lasting memories for both participants and fans around the world. 

    One of the poignant moments from the Games was the participation of a refugee team. Yiech Pur Biel, from South Sudan, was part of the 10 member group.

    Biel grew up alone in a refugee camp in Kenya after he got separated from his family who fled his country in 2005 after violence broke out. 

    His participation at the Olympics led to series of surprising connections resulting in a phone call with his mother whom he has not seen in more than a decade. 

    He says:

    Quote Message: I didn’t know if she was alive or dead. She didn’t know if I was alive or dead, in fact she thought I was gone. It was really something amazing, even today I can’t believe it.”

    Biel's story was featured in an article from the UN refugee agency about the experiences of the team in Rio. Read the full story here.

  3. Zuckerberg Facebooks his Nigeria trip

    Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has updated his Facebook followers on his trip to Nigeria.

    He writes that it's his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa and he'll be "learning about the startup ecosystem in Nigeria. 

    "The energy here is amazing and I'm excited to learn as much as I can.

    "Our first stop is the Co-creation Hub Nigeria (CcHUB) in Yaba. 

    "I got to talk to kids at a summer coding camp and entrepreneurs who come to CcHub to build and launch their apps."

    Mark Zuckerberg in Lagos

    Quartz magazine reports that more people use Facebook in Nigeria than anywhere else on the continent

    There are an estimated 16 million active users every month in the country, 44% of them access Facebook everyday.

  4. Update: 22 dead in Somalia attack

    At least 22 people were killed in an attack earlier today near a hotel in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, Dr Abdulkadir Haji Aden, the head of Mogadishu’s ambulance service, has told the BBC. 

    More than 30 were injured and rushed to hospital. 

    The Islamist militant group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

    A bomb carried by a truck exploded near some hotels and the presidential palace. 

    A bomb carried by a truck exploded near some hotels and the presidential palace.
  5. SA school's 'racist hair rules': A visual guide

    A South African school has been accused of racism over its rules on students' hairstyles.

    Black female pupils at Pretoria Girls High, whose protests have sparked a national debate, say that they have been told to straighten their hair and are banned from having afros.  Watch our visual guide to see which hairstyles are allowed and which break the rules:

    Video content

    Video caption: SA school's 'racist hair rules': A visual guide
  6. Facebook founder Zuckerberg in Nigeria for research trip

    Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has arrived in Nigeria for a business research trip. 

    According to a press release from his company:

    Quote Message: Zuckerberg is in Nigeria to listen and learn and take ideas back to California on how Facebook can better support tech development and entrepreneurship across Africa."

    He first visited a technology hub in Lagos called CC Hub.

    Facebook says it's the technology entrepreneur's first visit to the continent.

    He flew in from Italy where, among other things, he met Pope Francis and spoke about the "importance of connecting people, especially in parts of the world without internet access", according to Mr Zuckerberg's Facebook page.

    Facebook founder Zuckerberg in Nigeria for research trip
  7. Photos: Mark Zuckerberg in Nigeria

    As we have been reporting, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has arrived in Nigeria and is currently visiting a technology hub in Lagos. 

    Our reporter has snapped these photos: 

    Photos: Mark Zuckerberg in Nigeria
    Photos: Mark Zuckerberg in Nigeria
    Photos: Mark Zuckerberg in Nigeria
  8. Alarm over increase in 'foetal alcohol' cases in South Africa

    Alarm over increase in 'foetal alcohol' cases in South Africa
    Image caption: An estimate says that one in four women in the country drink alcohol to levels that affect the development of their babies.

    South Africa has the highest reported rate of babies born with foetal alcohol syndrome. 

    A estimate says that one in four women in the country drink alcohol to levels that affect the development of their babies. 

    Those born with the condition are often brain damaged and suffer developmental problems growing up.

    The majority are from the Western Cape.

    The BBC's Nomsa Maseko visited the area to interview some of the women affected and those who are working to rehabilitate the children. 

    Watch her report here.

  9. Zimbabwe protesters' bail application adjourned

    The bail hearing for the 68 Zimbabwean protesters (see earlier post) will now take place tomorrow, according to this tweet by an Al-Jazeera journalist at the court in Harare:

    View more on twitter
  10. Nigeria Football Federation 'has no money' to pay coach

    Haruna Shehu Tangaza

    BBC Africa, Abuja

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has admitted that it had issues when it came to paying its U23 coach Samson Siasia the five months salary that it owes.

    Siasia coached the side that won Nigeria's only medal at the Rio Olympics.

    They took bronze after beating Honduras 3-2.

    After the competition, his contract with the NFF ended and he demanded the outstanding money.

    But the NFF's Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi told the BBC that his organisation does not have the money.

    Nigeria's team coach Samson Siasia gestures during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
  11. Somalia blast 'kills 15'

    Somalia's official news agency, Sonna, is reporting that 15 people were killed in this morning's bomb explosion outside a hotel and near the presidential palace in the capital, Mogadishu.

    More than 20 people were also injured, including a government minister, it says.

    The Islamist militant group al-Shabab says it carried out the attack.

    A journalist has been tweeting pictures of the impact that the blast had:

    View more on twitter
  12. Malawian ex-minister jailed for 13 years for murder conspiracy

    Chakuchanya Harawa

    BBC Africa

    The High Court in Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, has sentenced former Justice Minister Raphael Kasambara to 13 years imprisonment with hard labour for conspiring to murder a former budget director in the Ministry of Finance, Paul Mphwiyo. 

    In 2013, Mr Mphwiyo survived being shot outside the gate of his residence in Lilongwe.

    The shooting led to the uncovering of a scandal that became known as Cashgate, the systematic plundering of public resources during the administration of President Joyce Banda. 

    It is estimated that up to $250m (£150m) may have been lost through fraudulent payments to businessmen for services that were not rendered.

    Just days before the shooting, a junior civil servant was allegedly found with bundles of cash totalling more than $300,000 in the boot of his car. 

    More cash was confiscated from some civil servants' homes and car boots. 

    Immediately after his conviction last month, Kasambara had hinted that he would be appealing against the verdict.

    Raphael Kasambara
    Image caption: Raphael Kasambara was a minister in the governments of President Joyce Banda and her predecessor

    'Cashgate' - Malawi's murky tale of shooting and corruption

  13. ANC backs embattled finance minister

    Milton Nkosi

    BBC Africa, Johannesburg

    South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) lends its full support to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in the row with the elite police unit, the Hawks, the party's secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has said.

    "The ANC reaffirms its unreserved confidence in the finance minister... and the work of the national treasury," he said.

    Last week, Mr Gordhan refused to report to the police after he was summoned by the Hawks to go in for a statement. 

    The country's currency, the rand, plunged in value after the summons was made public.

    Some in South Africa believe that the finance minister was the victim of political manoeuvring.

    The Hawks are probing the establishment of an investigation unit at the South African Revenue Services while Mr Gordhan was at the helm of the tax collection agency.

    He said he had done nothing wrong and had "no obligation" to report to the police.

    Pravin Gordhan in parliament
    Image caption: Pravin Gordhan became finance minister in December
  14. Zambia's broadcasting body lifts ban of radio station

    Meluse Kapatamoyo

    BBC Africa, Lusaka

    Zambia's Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has lifted the suspension of Itezhi Tezhi community radio station, one of the three private media outlets recently shut down. 

    The other two which were suspended last week were Komboni radio station and Muvi TV. 

    The IBA had accused the staff of the three broadcasters of being unprofessional for "threatening peace and stability" during the recent presidential election in which the incumbent Edgar Lungu beat opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema. But that result is being challenged in the courts.

    According to the IBA chairperson Justin Mutale the station was remorseful and had appealed to the authority for leniency as it was the only source of information in the area where it operates. 

    Mr Mutale also revealed the action the station had taken against its staff: 

    Quote Message: The station admitted that it had aired a programme at which a guest was inciting violence. It presented that at a board meeting... it had instituted disciplinary action against the presenter,. "
  15. Screening for Kenya drama at prestigious film festival

    The Kenyan crime drama Tuko Macho, which is currently being serialised on Facebook, is to get a screening at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, OkayAfrica reports.

    The culture news website describes Tuko Macho - which means  "we are alert" - as "a riveting, highly-produced web series".

    The drama deals with issues of justice and social issues and has got the audience engaged in debates about the story lines.

    Screengrab from the programme
  16. South Sudan may miss Afcon qualifier

    Abdinoor Aden

    BBC Africa, Nairobi

    Atak Lual scored South Sudan’s first ever international victory
    Image caption: Atak Lual scored in June to secure South Sudan’s first-ever international victory against Equatorial Guinea

    South Sudan's national football team risks missing an Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification return-leg match against Equatorial Guinea because of the ongoing political crisis in the country. 

    The country's cabinet and the national assembly are yet to discuss the budget that would cover the team's travel to Equatorial Guinea's capital, Malabo. 

    The match is set for 4 September in Estadio di Malabo. South Sudan's Bright Stars are currently third in group C behind Mali and Benin.    

    The South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) says that the sport minister has informed it that there are no funds to facilitate the team's trip despite receiving the request.

    SSFA says it will be difficult acquire funding from alternative sources and warned:

    Quote Message: If South Sudan is forced to forfeit the match, it will be a huge blow for the national team as they will be banned from competing in the qualifying campaign for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as being penalised with a hefty fine from the Confederation of African Football.’’
  17. Kenya's police questioning Keino over Rio Fiasco

    John Nene

    BBC Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

    Keino won the first Olympic Laurel award at the Rio Games.
    Image caption: Keino won the first Olympic laurel award at the Rio Games, recognising his development work

    The fallout from the widely reported problems with Kenya's team at the Rio Olympics continues. 

    The legendary athlete Kipchoge Keino, who is the chairman of the recently disbanded National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock), is currently being questioned by the police in Kenya. 

    Among the allegations are that Nock officials took friends at the expense of coaches to Rio.

    A bitter Keino told the BBC on the phone that the police are asking him why he failed to manage his house properly. 

    He says Sports Minister Hassan Wario, who is under pressure to resign, was quick to disband Nock instead of "cleaning his own house first’.’ 

    Keino said he has done nothing wrong, and sent a stern message to his Nock colleagues:`

    "Let each one of us carry their own cross. Those found guilty should face the law and punished individually. I’m innocent because I’ve stolen nothing.’’

    The two-time Olympic champion said he had not taken his lunch by the time he spoke to the BBC on the phone and doesn’t know how long he will be at the CID offices. 

    He regretted that he was being held by the police: 

    "This is a big shame for a person of my stature to be treated this way yet I’m innocent,’’ he added. 

  18. Zimbabwe protesters 'in court'

    Sixty-eight Zimbabwean protesters are in court in Harare to apply for bail following their arrest during last Friday's demonstration, the AP news agency reports.

    A coalition of political parties and civil society groups called for the protest to demand for political reforms.

    Police broke it up using tear gas and water cannon, despite a court ruling saying that it could go ahead.

    An Al-Jazeera journalist has tweeted from the court that proceedings have not yet started:

    View more on twitter
    Man holding tear gas cannister
    Image caption: Tear gas canisters were found on the ground on Friday after the police broke the protest up