LONDON – The head of the UN mission charged with fighting Ebola in West Africa has told the BBC he does not yet have the resources necessary to defeat it. Tony Banbury said more help was urgently needed, despite significant contributions from the UK, China, Cuba and the US. But he was hopeful of achieving…
OUAGADOUGOU – A split has emerged within Burkina Faso’s armed forces over who is leading the country following the resignation of President Blaise Campaore after 27 years in power. The presidential guard’s second in command, Colonel Isaac Zida, says he has assumed power as head of state. Earlier, army chief General Honore Traore said he…
LAGOS – Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has confirmed he will run again in February’s elections, his office has said. Until now he had refused to confirm his candidacy for re-election as president. The announcement comes as he faces mounting criticism over his handling of the Boko Haram insurgency and its abduction of more than 200…
LONDON – Zambian President Michael Sata has died at the age of 77 after receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness, the government says. President Sata, who was being treated in the UK, died in London’s King Edward VII hospital on Tuesday night. Media said that he died after “a sudden onset [of] heightened heart rate”….
LUSAKA – Zambian Vice-President Guy Scott has been named acting leader following the death of President Michael Sata. Presidential elections to choose a permanent successor will be held within 90 days, Defence Minister Edgar Lungu said. Mr Scott becomes Africa’s first white head of state since FW de Klerk in apartheid South Africa. Mr Sata…
LAGOS – Dozens of women and girls from two villages in Nigeria’s north-eastern Adamawa state have been abducted by suspected militants, residents say. The abductions have not been confirmed by the authorities, but residents say they took place a day after the military announced it had agreed a ceasefire with the Boko Haram group. The…
PRETORIA – South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been jailed for five years for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Judge Thokozile Masipa, issuing the ruling in court in Pretoria, also gave Pistorius a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms charge. The prosecution had called for a minimum 10-year sentence; the defence for community service and…
NEW YORK – There’s no cure for Ebola. So why have some patients walked away healthy while others in the West died? Dr. Kent Brantly, Nancy Writebol and Dr. Rick Sacra all contracted the disease while working in Liberia — and all survived. Spanish nurse’s aide Teresa Romero Ramos got the virus while tending to…
MAPUTO – Mozambique’s main opposition party has rejected the results of presidential and parliamentary elections, saying they were riddled with irregularities. Renamo spokesman Antonio Muchanga told the BBC that the results in Wednesday’s polls should be annulled. With some 20% of the votes counted, the candidate from the ruling Frelimo party, Filipe Nyusi, has 63%,…
PRETORIA – The sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius has heard that the South African athlete has no money left, as both sides’ final arguments were made. Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide last month after shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, but was cleared of murder. Judge Thokozile Masipa is expected to deliver…
