Summary

  • Burundi hit by fresh demonstrations

  • AU asks for clemency for death row smugglers in Indonesia

  • Nigerian state oil firm has 'overpaid the government'

  1. Scroll down for a look back on Tuesday's stories, more Africa updates tomorrowpublished at 17:59 BST 28 April 2015

    That's it from us today.

    Listen to the Africa Today podcast and keep up-to-date with stories fro across the continent on the BBC News website.

    We leave you with this picture of a Tanzanian skateboarder relaxing after showing off some of his skills. He was snapped at an alternative sports festival in Dar as Salaam.

    Tanzanian skateboarder
  2. Anger at grave defacingpublished at 17:50 BST 28 April 2015

    The defacing of a monument in South Africa to Sarah Baartman, who was exhibited in Europe during the 19th Century as a freak, has caused outrage.

    Khoisan community Chief Daantjie Japhta said he was disgusted that a monument which "brought us dignity" had been defaced, local media reports.

    Sarah Baartman's burial site in South Africa's Eastern Cape province was splashed with white paint. Known as the "Hottentot Venus", her body was buried in South Africa in 2002.

    Model of Sarah BaartmanImage source, AP
    Image caption,

    A cast of Sarah Baartman's body and her remains were returned to South Africa in 2002 by France

  3. Niger island attackedpublished at 17:41 BST 28 April 2015

    Ahmed Abba-Abdullahi
    BBC Hausa

    Niger has confirmed that one of its islands on Lake Chad came under attack by Boko Harm militants over the weekend, killing 48 soldiers.

    A unit of 122 soldiers were based on Karamga, also home to fishermen, as part of a regional force battling the Nigerian-based Islamist insurgents.

    Niger's internal affairs minister has visited the island today and one of his entourage told the BBC that 32 soldiers are still missing and 31 soldiers were injured in the raid.

  4. Court should be 'responsible'published at 17:38 BST 28 April 2015

    AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has said that the AU will be sending a delegation to Burundi to "help defuse [the] tense situation".

    In a tweet, external she also says she was "pleased to note that the #Burundi #Senate has taken the 3rd-Term question to the #Constitutional Court. It must decide responsibly."

    The recent tension has been caused by President Pierre Nkunrunziza's plan to run for a third term.

    Twitter grabImage source, Twitter
  5. Giraffe may have killed cyclistpublished at 17:36 BST 28 April 2015

    A man found dead next to his bicycle on a South African game reserve may have been killed by a giraffe.

    Police told the Telegraph newspaper, external that his injuries show Braam Bosse was trampled to death in the Limpopo game reserve.

    Many sites are linking to this YouTube video from 2013, external of a giraffe harassing two cyclists in Pretoria.

    Man holding bicycle being chased by a giraffeImage source, YouTube
  6. Anti-xenophobia bookletpublished at 17:21 BST 28 April 2015

    The South African government has released a booklet, external aimed at "stopping attacks on foreign nationals".

    It says the country has to work together to end the xenophobia and has this message for South Africans: "Anger and violence will not take away your challenges, but will have a negative impact on the image and reputation of our beautiful country."

    Image from bookletImage source, SA government
  7. Quiet in Bujumburapublished at 16:53 BST 28 April 2015

    Maud Jullien
    BBC Africa, Bujumbura

    Most of the protesters have now cleared the streets with a few small groups spread out through Burundi's capital, Bujumbura.

    It seems like the strong police response this morning has led to many people deciding to call it a day.

    There have been three days of demonstrations over the plan for President Pierre Nkurunziza to run for a third term.

    Protesters carry placards as they chant anti-government slogans before clashing with riot policemen in Burundi"s capital BujumburaImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Most of the protesters who were on the streets earlier have now gone away

  8. Leap of faithpublished at 16:34 BST 28 April 2015

    The BBC's Lilian Magari sent this shot of five people hoping a cyclist will carry off his trick successfully and leap over them.

    A cyclist leaps over five people

    It's part of a festival of alternative sports at the Leaders Club in Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam.

    Skateboarders also showed off their skills.

    Skateboarder preparing to leap off the ramp

    These sports are an underfunded but growing activity in Tanzania.

  9. Trafficked to Lebanonpublished at 16:28 BST 28 April 2015

    Jonathan Paye-Layleh
    BBC Africa, Monrovia

    Protesters outside the US embassy in Liberia's US embassy have been demanding the US intervene to rescue Liberian women from Lebanon.

    They say over 60 Liberian women were trafficked to Lebanon between 2011 and 2012.

    The women were reportedly lured into believing they were going to get well paid jobs. But they ended up being housemaids and some were assaulted, according to the protesters.

    Liberia's Social Protection Minister Julia Duncan Cassell told the BBC that the government has already brought 14 of the women back.

  10. AU 'concerned' over Burundipublished at 16:26 BST 28 April 2015

    The African Union Peace and Security Council tweets, external after its meeting on Burundi: "#PSC concludes meeting; #AU will urgently send high-level mission to Burundi to identify practical measures to help defuse current tension".

    In another tweet it says: "#PSC gravely concerned @ incidents in #Burundi in past few days; deeply deplores loss of human lives & strongly condemns all acts of violence".

    AU meetingImage source, AU
  11. Why the silence?published at 16:04 BST 28 April 2015

    Elizabeth Ohene noticed African leaders are silent on the migrant crisis.

    She suggests the silence is from shame that young people cannot see any hope in their own countries.

    Moramahoele Matsie tweets, external he thinks the silence is "because it's the failed states they govern that have exacerbated the migration crisis".

    Ikenna Nwabueze is more cynical, tweeting, external: "Politicians are not there to worry about the people. They're there to enrich themselves."

    Reply to our tweet, external with your suggestion.

    Migrants arriving in ItalyImage source, AFP
  12. Oil company 'overpaid' governmentpublished at 15:38 BST 28 April 2015

    An audit of Nigeria's state oil company has found that it overpaid the government by about $750m (£490m) during a period when it was accused of massive corruption.

    Last year Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi accused it of diverting $20bn. He was removed from his post shortly afterwards and is now a senior religious leader. The audit by Price Waterhouse Coopers, external said however that the oil company should be overhauled and pay the government $1.5bn arising from duplicate claims and accounting errors.

  13. Human rights activists releasedpublished at 15:37 BST 28 April 2015

    Maud Jullien
    BBC Africa, Bujumbura

    Prominent Burundian human rights activist Pierre Claver Mbonimpa has been released according to his lawyer.

    He was arrested by the police on Monday amid protests.

    Mr Mbonimpa had asked the ruling party not to put President Pierre Nkurunziza up for a third term in June's election, arguing that it would be a violation of the constitution.

  14. Match makerspublished at 15:26 BST 28 April 2015

    These lionesses - Mutagamba and Biza - were left without a mating partner.

    Lionesses, Mutagamba, and Biza

    So Uganda's Entebbe Zoo had to go to extreme lengths to match them up.

    They have flown Letaba the lion all the way from South Africa.

    Letaba

    We're waiting to see if the match works.

  15. Zuma infuriates Mozambicanspublished at 15:26 BST 28 April 2015

    The remarks by South Africa's President Jacob Zuma that the Mozambican man killed in Alexandra during a wave of xenophobic violence was using a false name because he was an illegal immigrant has started a heated debate on the Facebook page of BBC Mozambican journalist Zenaida Machado, external.

    Mario Manuel asks: "What does the death have to do with his migration status? One thing is to be illegal... the other thing is to be killed. Each one of them needs to be dealt with in different ways."

    Simao Matsinhe says: "Is that the reason why he was killed? Why didn't the authorities take measures against illegals instead of letting them die?"

  16. Fleeing Burundipublished at 15:13 BST 28 April 2015

    More than 20,000 Burundians have fled into Rwanda in the past month to escape the wave of violence in the run up to June's presidential election, the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, says, external.

    This figure includes a surge of 5,000 over the weekend.

    "Most of the refugees are women and children, who say they have experienced intimidation and threats of violence", the UNHCR adds.

    Burundian refugees arriving at a camp in RwandaImage source, UNHCR
  17. Clemency appealpublished at 14:49 BST 28 April 2015

    The African Union has asked Indonesia for clemency for the four Africans who are awaiting execution for drugs offences. AU Commission Deputy Chairperson Erastus Mwencha has made the "urgent appeal" to Indonesia's ambassador to the AU.

    An AU statement says that Mr Mwencha "encouraged Indonesia to consider the possibility of signing prisoner transfer agreements".

    Three Nigerians and a Ghanaian are among nine people who are expected to be executed on Tuesday in Indonesia.

    A woman places a candle on top of pictures of the prisoners to be executed in Indonesia, during a vigilImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Vigils are being held for nine people, including four Africans, due to be executed by firing squad.

  18. Media security to be tightenedpublished at 14:26 BST 28 April 2015

    Nigeria's police chief Solomon Arase has ordered "water tight security" to protect media houses across the country. According to a police statement he "is concerned about the recent attacks on the media houses, and journalists".

    The statement goes on to say that Inspector General Arase recognises the "valuable role" the media plays in democracy in Nigeria.

  19. 'Cat and mouse'published at 14:07 BST 28 April 2015

    Maud Jullien
    BBC Africa, Bujumbura

    In the Musaga district of Burundi's capital, Bujumbura, protesters are still playing cat and mouse with the police. Immediately after the police cleared a road of rubble, the protesters returned to build the barricade back up.

    There have been three days of demonstrations against President Pierre Nkurunziza's plan to run for a third term.

    Protesters in Bujumbura
  20. AU talking about Burundipublished at 13:53 BST 28 April 2015

    The African Union Peace and Security Council is currently discussing the situation in Burundi. It tweets, external: "Commisioner #Chergui underscores #AU support to #Burundi, including recent visit to Burundi by AUC Chairperson @DlaminiZuma".

    AU meetingImage source, AU