Best of BBC news

Concise information about Mali and its people, including figures for area, population, main languages, religions, exports, and more.

An estimated 2,000 Eritreans arrive every month in Sudan, hoping to claim asylum.

Pictures reveal how charcoal keeps Liberia cooking

Ghana qualify for the semi-finals of the Nations Cup after edging past Tunisia 2-1, following extra-time.

Egypt says it is to try 43 people - including Americans and other foreigners - over the alleged illegal funding of non-governmental organisations.

Mali edge through to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, after beating co-hosts Gabon 5-4 on penalties.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew believes Papiss Demba Cisse's match-winning performance against Aston Villa will have had Magpies fans excited.

Suspected militants say they have attacked an oil pipeline in Nigeria, in what would be the first such attack since 2010.

All the action from the quarter-finals at the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Papiss Demba Cisse marks his Newcastle debut with a stunning strike that helps his side beat Villa to move back up to fifth in the table.

Famous Moroccan artist owes his career to Churchill

Zambia's French coach Herve Renard praises his side's quarter-final performance against Sudan

South African youth leader Julius Malema loses his appeals against the ruling ANC's decision to suspend him for bringing the party into disrepute.

Survivors share experiences on World Cancer Day

Libya and Italy keen to repair ties damaged by Arab Spring

Could drought threaten South Africa's rooibos tea exports?

At least four people are killed in clashes between Egyptian protesters and police, amid ongoing anger over deaths after a football match.

At least 37 people have been killed in South Sudan following a shoot-out at a peace meeting aimed at ending recent violence, officials say.

Ivory Coast cruise to a 3-0 win over co-hosts Equatorial Guinea in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Two US women tourists and their Egyptian guide who were kidnapped in the south of Egypt's Sinai peninsula have been released, security sources say.