The flare-up of violence in Gaza and Israel brought back difficult memories for Shahdi Alkashif. He was BBC Arabic’s Gaza correspondent during the 2014 conflict. Now based in Turkey, he tells us what it was like to be an observer of the recent hostilities.

Uzbek salute shambles
An Uzbek mayor and four military men found themselves the butt of social media jokes after they were filmed at Remembrance Day commemorations, clearly uncertain whether to salute, wave or put their hands on their hearts . BBC Uzbek's Ibrat Safo was amused, but many back home weren't.

The cleric taking on kidnappers in Nigeria
A Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has risen to prominence for his intervention in Nigeria's growing kidnap-for-ransom crisis. Beverly Ochieng of BBC Monitoring has been looking into his controversial attempts to create dialogue with some bandit groups.

Why is Cali the epicentre of the Colombian protests?
The protests in Colombia started in opposition to proposed tax rises, but now encompass much broader demands. Cali is the epicentre, with road blockades and petrol shortages bringing everyday life to a standstill. Luis Fajardo of BBC Monitoring, who's from Cali, explains why the city is so affected.

Cape Town library fire
It's a month since wildfires on Table Mountain destroyed the University of Cape Town’s Jagger Reading Room, and much of its unique African Studies collection. BBC Africa's Mohammed Allie was a student at the university in the 1980s, and shares his memories of the library.

Image: Destroyed house in Jabaliya refugee camp northern Gaza Strip, 20 May 2021
Credit: EPA/HAITHAM IMAD