More than 800,000 children are to be targeted for vaccination in the Democratic Republic of Congo, after a measles outbreak killed more than 3,500 people this year. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Congolese government aim to carry out the emergency programme across the country in slightly more than a week. The WHO says […]
The brother of Algeria’s deposed former president has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiring against the state and undermining the military. Said Bouteflika was widely seen as the real power behind the presidency after his brother, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, suffered a stroke in 2013. Two former secret service chiefs and a political party […]
ALGIERS (AFP) – An Algerian military court has sentenced the brother of former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika and three co-defendants to 15 years in prison, the state APS news agency reported on Wednesday (Sept 25). Said Bouteflika, widely seen as the real power behind the presidency after his brother suffered a debilitating stroke in 2013, went […]
Maryan Seylac is a journalist from Somalia. She was one of the first female reporters from her city, Baidoa, and set up an organisation that seeks to encourage and support women journalists in the country. She has told the BBC her story, discussing the challenges that women face in one of the world’s most dangerous […]
The brother of Algeria’s deposed former president has gone on trial, accused of conspiring against the state and undermining the military. Said Bouteflika was a key figure among Algeria’s leadership until President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was ousted in April following pro-democracy protests. Two former secret service chiefs and a political party head are also on trial. […]
Gabon, located on the west coast of Africa, has one of the region’s more stable countries. Since independence from France in 1960, Gabon has had just three presidents. The late President Omar Bongo ruled for more than four decades until his death in 2009. During Omar Bongo’s rule, Gabon maintained a close relationship with France […]
More than 1,800 people have died and more than 2,700 have been infected in the latest outbreak of Ebola in central Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the crisis a public health emergency of international concern. The outbreak is the second-largest in the history of the virus. It follows the 2013-16 epidemic in […]
A recent spate of kidnappings and violent crimes has shaken Nigeria’s capital Abuja, regarded as a relatively safe haven in a country facing major security challenges. The national police chief, Mohammed Adamu, has sought to allay concerns by saying that Abuja actually has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Is he right? […]
An American man has drowned while proposing to his girlfriend underwater during a “once-in-a-lifetime” trip to Tanzania. Steven Weber and his girlfriend, Kenesha Antoine, were staying in a submerged cabin at the Manta Resort, off Pemba Island. Footage shows Mr Weber diving under water to ask Ms Antoine to marry him. In the video, Mr […]
South Africa’s international relations minister has called for Africa to better manage migration. Naledi Pandor’s comments came in the wake of a wave of xenophobic attacks. Talking to migrant representatives, she also said that African leaders should not be allowed to worsen conditions in their countries and expect others to deal with the resulting migration. […]