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Live Reporting

Dickens Olewe and Damian Zane

All times stated are UK

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  1. Scroll down for Thursday'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 our wise words: 

    Quote Message: There is no difference between a thief and his accomplice"

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

    And we leave you with this photo of a cart pusher in Lagos, Nigeria, from the everydayafrica Instagram account.

    View more on instagram
  2. Analysis: US change of policy towards South Sudan's Riek Machar

    James Copnall

    Africa editor, BBC World Service

    Why has a senior US official said Riek Machar should not go back to South Sudan to take up his post as first vice-president? (see earlier post)

    In part, the US seem to be recognising a reality – there appears to be little prospect of Mr Machar returning any time soon.

    The US, and other countries, are also involved in a complicated balancing act, as they try to persuade the South Sudanese government to accept a regional military peacekeeping force. 

    Perhaps the Americans feel that recognising Taban Deng as first vice-president,  rather than Mr Machar, will please President Salva Kiir and his camp, and smooth the way for the peacekeepers.

    There is also probably a feeling that Mr Deng is better able to work with the president – an old ally – than Mr Machar was.

    But as with so much in South Sudan, the key question here is a military one: does Mr Deng, or Mr Machar, have the loyalty of most of the rebel generals?

    Riek Machar
    Image caption: Riek Machar is now in Khartoum after leaving South Sudan's capital, Juba, following fighting in July
  3. Your comments about the proverb of the day

    Every day we publish a proverb that has been sent in by readers and we like to ask you what you think they mean. Today's wise words were:

    "There is no difference between a thief and his accomplice."

    Here's the reaction:

    Quote Message: People with same habit are always together" from Abbas Haliru
    Abbas Haliru
    Quote Message: A thief who does the actual stealing is no better than the one looking out for them. They tell each other 'I got your back' making them both thieves." from Ndichu Sammy
    Ndichu Sammy
    Quote Message: It simply says "A thief and the one who is checking for someone who can see that thief while stealing, both are thieves" from Maina Ndung'u Njuguna
    Maina Ndung'u Njuguna
    Quote Message: Birds of a feather flock together" from Asimbuyu Adaugo Mwangala
    Asimbuyu Adaugo Mwangala
  4. Giraffes are 'four species not one'

    It is a famous, gentle giant of the African savanna, but the giraffe's genetics have just revealed that there is not one species, but four.

    Giraffes have previously been recognised to be a single species divided into several sub-species.

    But this latest study of their DNA suggests that four groups of giraffes have not cross-bred and exchanged genetic material for millions of years.

    This is a clear indication that they have evolved into distinct species.

    The study published in the journal Current Biology has rewritten the biology of Earth's tallest mammal.

    The scientists say their findings could inform the conservation efforts for all four species of giraffe.

    Read more from BBC News Online.

    Giraffe
  5. Anger at South African textbook's rape questions

    The publisher of a school textbook in South Africa which appears to blame rape victims for the crime has been criticised, the Guardian newspaper reports.

    The newspaper says, the textbook, published by Pearson, contains a passage showing a girl's account of how she got drunk, was locked in a room with a boy and was then raped.

    Pupils are then asked to list two ways which the girl's actions "led to sexual intercourse".

    Activists have asked Pearson to apologise for the text in which rape survivors could be seen as responsible for what happened to them.

    South African Yonela Palesa Moopelwa posted an image from the textbook on her Facebook page and called for the book to be withdrawn.

    Image from Textbook
  6. AU mission to Gabon postponed

    Abdourahmane Dia

    BBC Afrique

    Gabon's Foreign Minister Emmanuel Ngondet has said at a press conference that the African Union mission that should be in the country Friday to mediate between President Ali Bongo and Jean Ping has been postponed. 

    According to Mr Ngondet, Chad's President Idriss Deby has demanded more time to consult with other heads of state who should be with travelling him - Macky Sall of Senegal and Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo. 

    No new date has been given. 

    President Ali Bongo
    Image caption: President Ali Bongo beat his rival Jean Ping by less than 6,000 votes
  7. Algeria's president makes rare public appearance

    Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has made a rare appearance to inaugurate a conference centre, the Reuters news agency reports. 

    Bouteflika, 79, was last seen in public two years ago when he voted from a wheelchair in the ballot that saw him elected for a fourth five-year term. He had suffered a stroke a year earlier. 

    There was no live coverage of the event and no images of the ailing leader were immediately released, the report adds.

    Reuters reports that analysts say that President Bouteflika's appearance was designed to dampen demands for early presidential elections.

    Algeria's state radio has tweeted a picture of the leader from the event. 

    View more on twitter
  8. Protests at Ethiopian embassies in London and Stockholm

    We've posted about a protest at Ethiopia's embassy in London, where demonstrators got inside and kicked a portrait of former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

    It seems that this may have been coordinated with another protest in Sweden's capital, Stockholm.

    Esat, an Ethiopian TV channel based outside the country, has posted images of protesters entering the embassy there.

    They can be heard shouting: "You are Nazis."

    The film also includes pictures from the London protest which shows police officers talking to the protesters inside the Embassy.

    Screen grab from video showing police in the building
  9. Analysis: Difficult for Mugabe to dismiss 'withholding food aid' allegations

    Brian Hungwe

    BBC Africa, Harare

    The scathing report on the allegations of the politicisation of food aid in rural areas by senior government officials and public servants lays bare accusations that have long been denied by President Robert Mugabe.

    The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission says its findings were a result of extensive investigations across the country.

    It will be difficult for Mr Mugabe to simply dismiss the allegations.

    The powers of the rights body are enshrined in the constitution.

    The political implications of the report are grave, especially with general elections due in 2018, although similar allegations have been made in the past.

    With growing popular calls for electoral reform, there will be many who fear that this investigation betrays the extreme tactics which may be employed to ensure election victory.

    Alleged attempts to exert pressure on rural folk by withholding food will be seized on by Mr Mugabe's critics as evidence that his government has reached a new low, especially given the food crisis the country is facing.

    Food aid distribution
    Image caption: Alleged attempts to exert pressure on rural folk by withholding food will be seized on by Mr Mugabe's critics
  10. Ethiopia protesters get into London embassy

    In a video posted on the Facebook page of an Oromo activist a small group of protesters can be seen entering a room in what appears to be the Ethiopian embassy in London.

    At one point they turn a portrait of the late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi upside down and somebody kicks it.

    Speaking in Amharic, they can be heard advising each other that they should not damage it.

    Then someone takes out the old Ethiopia flag and tries to drape it over the current one.

    “This is illegal,” an embassy official is heard saying.

    A protester responds: "This is not illegal. It is an Ethiopian flag. We won’t damage anything. People are dying for this flag."

    “We know the government flag and we know the Ethiopian flag,” another protester says.

    "You burn our compatriots like a torch. We came here to demand their blood,” a third one is heard saying.

    The embassy official responds by saying: “You can provide your requests but it should not be like this. It should be peaceful."

    The Ethiopian government is currently facing protest movements in the Amhara and Oromo regions.

    Ethiopian protesters in South Africa
    Image caption: Some Ethiopians in the diaspora have demonstrated in support of protesters in the country
  11. Police helicopter crashes in Kenya's capital

    Kenya's Star newspaper is reporting that three people have been injured after a police helicopter crashed near a residential area in the capital, Nairobi. 

    A local journalist is quoting a police source saying the injured have been rushed to hospital.  

    View more on twitter

    Earlier today another plane crashed in the city of Naivasha. Local media reported that one person had died in the crash.

    Three weeks ago, another police helicopter crashed in Nairobi.

  12. Kenyan wins first Paralympic gold

    Kenya's Samwel Kimani has won the first gold medal of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in the Men’s T11 5000m (for blind competitors with guides)

    Odair Santos of Brazil won silver, with Erick Sang of Kenya winning the bronze medal

    Kenya won two gold medals at the 2012 Paralympics in London and 6 medals overall.

    Samwel Kitani
  13. So are Nigerians up for changing?

    Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has launched a campaign for his compatriots to change the way they behave (see earlier post).

    In a speech this morning he didn't hold back:

    Quote Message: The long-cherished and time-honoured, time-tested virtues of honesty, integrity, hard work, punctuality, good neighbourliness, and patriotism have given way in the main to dishonesty, intolerance, indolence, unbridled corruption and widespread impunity."

    People have been debating the #ChangeBeginsWithMe campaign on the BBC Africa Facebook page.

    And some contributors have harsh words themselves:

    Quote Message: They just can't take criticism so they are looking for any possible means to lay the blame on why they can't perform on either the past administration or on Nigerians. The fear of criticism is the reason for the campaign because they are losing the goodwill and support they had during the election." from Arerosuo Nelson Ogheneroro
    Arerosuo Nelson Ogheneroro

    Ukonu Ezeh

    Quote Message: Which change is he talking about? He has just renamed his 'War Against Indiscipline'. It's another avenue for him to use the Nigerian military against the citizens. Go ahead we are watching how it unfolds."

    But some are looking forward to the change that could happen:

    Quote Message: God bless the president. His honesty is second to none. He will succeed." from David Iyowuna
    David Iyowuna
    President Buhari
  14. Nigerien female soldier wins peacekeeper award

    A female soldier from Niger has been awarded the UN's first ever prize for peacekeepers who focus on the impact that armed conflict can have on women.

    Major Aichatou Ousmane Issak was named the UN's Military Gender Advocate of the Year on Wednesday evening.

    Maj Issak worked in the UN mission in Mali where she accompanied all-male patrols to make the peacekeepers more approachable, the UN news service reports.

    She also trained her fellow peacekeepers to look out for the particular needs of women and children.

    "I think as a woman I brought a different perspective in the peace process and some ideas that helped the men make some decisions,” she said.  

    Major Aichatou Ousmane Issak
  15. Ugandans react to delay in paying football coach

    We reported earlier that Uganda's football association (Fufa) had put out a statement admitting to owing the national team coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic some salary arrears. 

    The admission seems to have irritated many Ugandans, who are using the hashtag #PayMicho to express their displeasure. Especially because the coach led the team to qualify for the African Cup of Nations finals next year after being absent for 38 years. 

    Here's a sample of the views expressed:

    View more on twitter
  16. AFP photographer talks about covering Gabon elections

    Powerful images of the violent protests that engulfed Gabon after the announcement of the contested presidential results, in which the incumbent President Ali Bongo beat opposition leader Jean Ping, have been part of understanding the continuing story. 

    Marco Longari, the chief photographer for Africa with AFP news agency, took some of the striking photos which have been used by mainstream news organisations including the BBC to report the story. 

    He recently wrote a personal blog about covering the Gabon election. 

    Mr Longari spoke to BBC's Newsday programme about his first hand experience covering the unrest while capturing powerful images: 

    Video content

    Video caption: Marco Longari has been photographing recent events in Libreville
  17. Nigerians debate #ChangeBeginsWithMe

    Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has just launched a new campaign aimed at changing the way people behave (see earlier post).

    In a speech he said:

    Quote Message: It is safe to say today that honesty, hard work and godliness have given way to all kinds of manifestations of lawlessness and degeneration in our national life."

    The government is using #ChangeBeginsWithMe on Twitter to get its message out - but not all Nigerians are on board it seems:  

    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter

    But there are some who are more sympathetic:

    View more on twitter

    Watch what the president said here:

    View more on youtube
  18. Successful Uganda football coach missing salary payments

    The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has admitted that it owes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic some salary arrears but that it is making plans to resolve the issue. 

    Micho, who oversaw Uganda’s first qualification to the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations since 1978, is unhappy that he has not been paid and had threatened to take the matter to football’s world governing body Fifa. 

    Fufa says that it used most of the money at its disposal in order to prepare the squad for the crucial final qualifier against Comoros that they had to win in order to qualify for the Nations Cup finals in Gabon next year. 

    In a statement Fufa says that meetings are being held with Micho in order for the matter to be resolved as quickly as possible and that paying him what he is owed is its main priority.

    Daily Monitor front page
    Image caption: Ugandans have been celebrating qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations finals

    The African football teams beating the odds - BBC News

  19. Plane crashes in Kenya

    A small aircraft has crashed and burst into flames near Kenya's city of Naivasha, the Kenya Red Cross has tweeted: 

    View more on twitter

    A local paper is reporting that six passengers were on the plane and shared a picture of the crash. 

    It is not clear what has happened to the people on board.

    View more on twitter