Quarantine victory for US Ebola nurse

31 October 2014 Last updated at 20:23

A judge in the US has ruled in favour of a nurse fighting a state quarantine order since returning from treating Ebola patients in West Africa.

Judge Charles LaVerdiere ruled Kaci Hickox did not need to be isolated or restricted in her movements because she is not showing symptoms of the virus.

It came hours after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned discrimination against aid workers.

And it was a blow to the Maine governor who had sought a 21-day quarantine.

The judge said the nurse must comply with health officials over monitoring but does not need to stay away from public places, as the state had requested.

Governor Paul LePage said he disagrees with the court's findings but will comply.

"As governor, I have done everything I can to protect the health and safety of Mainers," he said on Friday.

"The judge has eased restrictions with this ruling and I believe it is unfortunate. However, the state will abide by law."

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Ebola nurse Kaci Hickox: "I'm free to go on a bike ride in my home town"

The state of Maine had gone to court to impose restrictions on the nurse until 10 November, when the 21-day incubation period for Ebola was set to expire.

Following the ruling, Ms Hickox called it "a good day", but that her "thoughts, prayers and gratitude" were with those battling the virus in West Africa.

More than 13,700 people have been infected in total, the vast majority in the West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Nearly 5,000 people have died of Ebola, but only nine patients have been treated for the virus on US soil.

Ebola, which is only spread through close contact with the bodily fluids of a sick patient, has an incubation period of up to 21 days.

People are not infectious until they show symptoms, usually a fever.

Deaths from Ebola

US officials are at odds over whether American healthcare workers who return from treating Ebola patients in West Africa should be forced into quarantine.

One of these workers, Dr Craig Spencer, travelled around New York City before he fell ill. He is currently in isolation in hospital.

After his case was announced, New York, New Jersey and other states ordered the mandatory quarantine of healthcare workers who had been exposed to Ebola patients.

But President Barack Obama has warned that overly restrictive measures could discourage volunteering in West Africa.

On Thursday, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders warned some mandatory US state Ebola quarantine measures are having a "chilling effect" on its work.

The group has said it may shorten some assignments to West Africa as a result of recent state restrictions.

Ebola cases outside West Africa

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Funeral of murdered SA footballer

1 November 2014 Last updated at 11:28

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Tom Burridge is at Moses Mabhida Stadium where thousands have gathered

Tens of thousands of people are attending the funeral of South African football captain Senzo Meyiwa in Durban.

Meyiwa, 27, was shot on Sunday, apparently after burglars entered his girlfriend's house near Johannesburg.

A suspect appeared in court on Friday and was charged with the murder of the popular goalkeeper.

Meyiwa's death shocked South Africa and has highlighted the high rates of violent crime in the country.

The funeral is taking place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Meyiwa's hometown of Durban.

Many of the mourners are wearing T-shirts with a picture of Meyiwa, who was widely seen as an inspiring figure.

The funeral of another South African sporting hero, former 800m world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, will also take place on Saturday.

Mulaudzi was killed in a car accident the day before Meyiwa's death.

Flags at half-mast

President Zuma ordered the national flag to be flown at half-mast on Saturday to honour the goalkeeper.

South Africa's domestic football league postponed a match between Orlando Pirates and Kaiser Chiefs after the death of Meyiwa.

Authorities also announced that the South African national team would play their next Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan in Durban.

Police said on Friday that a suspect had been identified in Meyiwa's killing after an identity parade.

The man, named as Zanokuhle Mbatha, 25, faced charges of murder and armed robbery at a court hearing and is due to appear again on 11 November. Police had offered a reward for information on the attack.

"There are still other suspects outstanding and we appeal to the public to continue providing information in support of the investigation," a police statement said.

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Space project will go on - Branson

1 November 2014 Last updated at 08:48

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David Willis in the Mojave desert on the final moments of SpaceShipTwo

Sir Richard Branson has vowed to continue his space tourism venture despite the fatal crash of a Virgin Galactic rocket ship in the US.

One pilot died and the other was badly injured when SpaceShipTwo exploded in California's Mojave Desert on Friday.

Investigators are on their way to the crash site, north of Los Angeles.

Mr Branson, founder of the Virgin Group and a long-time advocate of commercial space travel, said he was "shocked and saddened" but would "persevere".

Virgin had hoped to launch commercially in 2015. It has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 (£156,000) each, with Mr Branson pledging to travel on the first flight.

'Serious anomaly'

SpaceShipTwo was flying its first test flight for nine months when it crashed shortly after take-off near the town of Bakersfield, California.

In a statement, the company said SpaceShipTwo experienced "a serious anomaly" after the craft separated from its launcher, an aircraft called WhiteKnightTwo.

WhiteKnightTwo landed safely.

It later emerged that the space craft was burning a new type of of rocket fuel never before used in flight, although officials said it had undergone extensive ground testing.

Mr Branson said Virgin Galactic would co-operate fully with the authorities involved in the investigation.

Officials with the US National Transportation Safety Board will begin their investigation on Saturday morning, which will probably take several days.

The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating, officials said.

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Eyewitness Ken Brown: "It burned for a time and then just exploded"

'Space is hard'

In a blog post, Mr Branson said everyone involved in the project was "deeply saddened".

"All our thoughts are with the families of everyone affected by this tragic event," he wrote.

He said that he was flying to California, describing it as "one of the most difficult trips I have ever had to make".

"Space is hard - but worth it. We will persevere and move forward together," he added.

George Whitesides, chief executive of Virgin Galactic, echoed Mr Branson's comments at a California news conference.

"The future rests in many ways on hard days like this, but we believe we owe it to the team to understand this and to move forward. And that is what we'll do."

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Virgin Galactic ticket holder Jon Goodwin is confident it will be "perfectly safe"

Wreckage from the crash was scattered across the Mojave desert, north-east of Los Angeles. Police secured the site amid fears that some of the debris could be explosive.

Both pilots were employed by Scaled Composites, the company that designed the craft. One was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was transported to a local hospital in an unknown condition.

The spacecraft had been carried into the air by WhiteKnightTwo before being released at an altitude of 45,000 feet (13,700m) for a test of its rocket engine. It crashed shortly afterwards.

Celebrities including Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher and Leonardo Di Caprio are among those said to have signed up for the flights, the Los Angeles Times reports.

It was the second accident this week involving a commercial space company in the US.

On Tuesday, an unmanned supply rocket called Antares exploded shortly after its launch from Virginia. It was carrying cargo to the International Space Station.

David Shukman, BBC science editor

Even as details emerge of what went wrong, this is clearly a massive setback to a company hoping to pioneer a new industry of space tourism. Confidence is everything and this will not encourage the long list of celebrity and millionaire customers waiting for their first flight.

An innovative design combined with a new type of rocket motor make the development exceptionally hard. Despite an endless series of delays to its spacecraft, Virgin Galactic has over the years managed to maintain some very optimistic public relations and positive media coverage.

I interviewed Sir Richard Branson when he first announced the venture, and his enthusiasm and determination were undoubted. But his most recent promises of launching the first passenger trip by the end of this year had already started to look unrealistic some months ago.

This accident will delay plans even further. Space is never easy, and making it routine is even harder.

Will crash set back space tourism?

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Boko Haram denies ceasefire claim

1 November 2014 Last updated at 01:38

Boko Haram has denied claims by Nigeria's government that it has agreed to a ceasefire and will release more than 200 abducted schoolgirls.

The group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, said the girls had converted to Islam and been married off since being taken.

Nigeria's army announced a ceasefire with the militants on 17 October, saying the girls would soon be freed.

But violence has continued since news of the alleged truce, including a fatal bomb blast on Friday.

Boko Haram has been fighting an insurgency since 2009, with some 2,000 civilians reportedly killed this year.

'We will not negotiate'

In a video released on Friday, Abubakar Shekau said: "We have not made ceasefire with anyone. We did not negotiate with anyone. It's a lie.

"We will not negotiate. What is our business with negotiation? Allah said we should not."

Shekau also claimed that the militants were holding a German national, thought to be a teacher, who was kidnapped by gunmen in July.

There was no indication of when or where the group's latest video was shot.

The BBC's Tomi Oladipo in Lagos says the video will come as a huge embarrassment for the Nigerian government after it said it had secured a ceasefire with Boko Haram.

The Islamist militants sparked global outrage in April by abducting 219 schoolgirls from the remote north-eastern town of Chibok, in Borno state.

Their continued captivity has led to criticism of the Nigerian government's efforts to secure their release.

Hopes were raised earlier this month when Nigeria's chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh, announced a truce with the group.

"They've assured us they have the girls and they will release them," he said. "I am cautiously optimistic."

But the Boko Haram leader said the girls were "in their marital homes" after being married off by the group.

Last week, Human Rights Watch said in a report that Boko Haram was holding more than 500 women and young girls captive and that forced marriage was common in the group's camps.

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Uruguay registers cannabis growers

1 November 2014 Last updated at 01:45

Uruguay has started registering cannabis growers' clubs as part of the government's plan to legalise the drug.

Licensed clubs of up to 45 members will be allowed to grow a maximum of 99 plants each year.

In August, growing up to six plants of cannabis at home became legal.

Uruguay legalised the production and sale of cannabis last December and the government hopes to sell it from pharmacies in the new year.

Under the legislation, each club member can produce no more than 480g of cannabis home each year and the club's growing fields cannot be within 150m of a school, college or a drug rehabilitation centre.

Legalising cannabis has been a sensitive issue in Uruguay, where voters will be going to the polls in a second round of presidential elections on 30 November.

Both presidential candidates have said they will tinker with the new laws if elected.

The legislation has been the brainchild of the outgoing and outspoken President Jose Mujica, who has argued that if the state controls the growth and sale of cannabis production, it can weaken and disarm an illegal drug trade which damages lives across Latin America.

The government estimates there are 150,000 frequent users of cannabis in Uruguay.

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Power struggle in Burkina Faso

1 November 2014 Last updated at 04:25

A split has emerged within Burkina Faso's armed forces over who is leading the country following the resignation of President Blaise Compaore 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 had taken over.

Crowds danced and cheered in the capital Ouagadougou after Mr Compaore's resignation was announced on Friday.

It came a day after protesters angry at his attempt to amend the constitution and extend his 27-year hold on the presidency set fire to parliament and government buildings.

Speaking on Saturday, Col Zida said Gen Traore's claim to be head of state was now "obsolete".

"I now assume... the responsibilities of head of the transition and of head of state to assure the continuation of the state" and a "smooth democratic transition", said Col Zida in a televised address quoted by AFP news agency.

And Reuters quoted Col Zida, in a statement read out on local radio, as saying: "I assume the functions of head of state and I call on (West African regional bloc) Ecowas and the international community to demonstrate their understanding and support the new authorities."

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A statement by Colonel Isaac Zida said he had assumed control of Burkina Faso

Friday saw Mr Compaore issue a statement saying the presidency was now vacant, and urging elections within 90 days.

His whereabouts are now unclear.

Under Article 43 of the constitution, the president of the senate should take over after the president resigns, and elections should take place between 60 and 90 days afterwards.

However, the military announced a state of emergency and the dissolution of both houses of parliament on Thursday - effectively leaving a power vacuum.

Are you in Burkina Faso? Send us your eyewitness accounts and views by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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Australia marks Anzac centenary

1 November 2014 Last updated at 08:55

Thousands of people gathered in the Australian town of Albany to mark the departure of 30,000 Anzac troops 100 years ago during World War One.

The remote town in Western Australia was where many of the Anzac (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) soldiers set sail for Europe on 1 November 1914.

The commemorations featured a re-enactment of the convoy's departure.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key attended the events on Saturday.

Australia's entry into World War One began with the departure of the soldiers on 38 troop ships, protected by Australian, New Zealand and Japanese battle cruisers and warships.

Many were sent to fight in the disastrous Gallipoli campaign of 1915, during which thousands of lives were lost.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told those attending the service that the Anzac troops would never be forgotten. "The scale of sacrifice and loss was beyond anything imaginable," he added.

Australia's governor-general Peter Cosgrove said the soldiers would have been unaware of the horrors of World War One.

"There would have been excitement, trepidation", he told the BBC. "I think there was also a sense of exhilaration because the rumour at the time was that this war would be over quite quickly."

The military re-enactment on Albany's King George Sound waters featured five Royal Australian Navy warships, two from New Zealand and one from Japan.

About 800 soldiers took part in a march through Albany's streets ahead of Mr Abbott's commemorative address.

Colin Barnett, the premier of Western Australia, and Mr Key also gave speeches before wreaths were laid at Albany Peace Park.

It is estimated that over 60,000 people attended Saturday's events. Amongst them were senior veterans, Maori and Japanese soldiers.

Anzac soldiers and the Gallipoli campaign

Landed in Gallipoli in what is now Turkey on 25 April 1915 along with British and French troops:

• Three landings were planned to clear Turkish soldiers from the area, with little success
• Anzac soldiers did manage to secure a bridgehead at Anzac Cove
• Amid disease-ridden conditions, all soldiers were evacuated in December and January
• The Allies lost around 214,000 men, including more than 8,000 Australians and more than 2,700 New Zealanders

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Bangladesh hit by major blackouts

1 November 2014 Last updated at 10:41

Bangladesh has been hit by major blackouts after a power line connecting the country to India's electricity grid failed, reports say.

The blackout began at about noon local time and affected all parts of the country linked to the national grid.

Power was restored to parts of the capital within a few hours. Officials said engineers were working to restore supply to the rest of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh began importing electricity from India in October last year.

The exact cause remains unknown, but the head of the national grid in Bangladesh, Chowdhury Alamgir Hossain, told the Dhaka Tribune newspaper that the power cut began after a technical glitch at a substation distributing power from India.

That had caused all the country's other power plants to close down one by one, he said.

Masum-Al-Beruni, managing director of the state-run Power Grid Company, told the Associated Press news agency that he hoped to restore full power to the capital Dhaka by Saturday evening.

The high-voltage transmission line runs from Baharampur in West Bengal to Bheramara in Kushtia district, in south-west Bangladesh.

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Lawsuit over Malaysia missing plane

31 October 2014 Last updated at 08:40

Two Malaysian children whose father was on the Malaysian Airlines flight that disappeared have filed a lawsuit against the airline and the government.

It is believed to be the first legal case filed in Malaysia since the incident on 8 March.

The lawsuit accuses the civil aviation department of negligence for failing to contact the plane within a reasonable amount of time after it disappeared.

Flight MH370, from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, had 239 people on board.

Lawyers representing the two underage sons of passenger Jee Jing Hang filed the suit with the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

They are suing the national carrier for breach of contract, saying it failed to take all measures to ensure a safe flight. They are also suing civil aviation authorities, the immigration department and the air force for negligence.

"We have waited for eight months. After speaking to various experts, we believe we have sufficient evidence for a strong case," said their lawyer Arunan Selveraj.

"A big plane missing in this age of technology is really unacceptable," he said.

The legal team said they would seek damages but did not give a figure.

In March a civil action case was brought in the US by a law firm on behalf of relatives. But a judge dismissed it, calling it an improper filing.

The Malaysian government believes MH370 ended its journey in the southern Indian Ocean, in seas far off the Australian city of Perth.

But there is no explanation yet for what happened to the plane or caused it to stray so far off course.

Despite extensive searches coordinated by Australian authorities, no wreckage of any kind has been found yet.

Some legal experts say this could hamper any lawsuits filed, as it leaves much to speculation.

Search efforts are ongoing.

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Charity warns US on Ebola quarantine

31 October 2014 Last updated at 04:51

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders has warned some mandatory US state Ebola quarantine measures are having a "chilling effect" on its work.

The group has said it may shorten some assignments to West Africa as a result of recent state restrictions.

One of the charity's volunteers has defied orders by the US state of Maine that she remain quarantined in her house after being in Sierra Leone.

There have been nearly 14,000 cases worldwide, but only nine in the US.

Doctors Without Borders - also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) - has 270 international and 3,000 locally hired staff in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

But the foreign workers now have additional concerns when heading home, said executive director Sophie Delaunay.

"There is rising anxiety and confusion among staff members in the field over what they may face when they return home upon completion of their assignments in West Africa," she told Reuters news agency.

Some health workers are delaying returning to the US and staying in Europe for 21 days, she added, "in order to avoid facing rising stigmatisation at home and possible quarantine".

Some people are being discouraged by their families from returning to the field, she added.

In other developments:

• a UK ship has arrived in Sierra Leone carrying food, medical equipment and 32 pick-up trucks, to help keep hard-pressed Ebola treatment centres in operation
• speaking in Brussels after a trip to West Africa, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power has said the world must do more to confront "the greatest public health crisis ever"
• North Korea has instituted a 21-day quarantine for any foreign national arriving from any country
• the World Bank said it would immediately provide $100m to fund the deployment of more health workers to West Africa

Lawyers for Kaci Hickox, a nurse recently returned to the US from treating Ebola patients in Africa, have vowed to fight a court order that would enforce a 21-day quarantine.

Maine Governor Paul LePage said the state was willing to agree to arrangements that would have allowed Hickox to go for walks, runs and bicycle rides, but not allow her to go to public places.

The governor said discussions with Ms Hickox, 33, had failed.

She says her freedom should not be limited when she is perfectly healthy.

People are not infectious until they show symptoms, usually a fever.

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Ebola nurse Kaci Hickox: "I'm free to go on a bike ride in my home town"

Another worker, Dr Craig Spencer, travelled around New York City before he fell ill. He is currently in isolation in hospital.

After his case was announced, New York, New Jersey and other states ordered the mandatory quarantine of healthcare workers who had been exposed to Ebola patients.

But President Barack Obama has warned that overly restrictive measures could discourage volunteering in West Africa.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the actions of US states ordering medics to be isolated.

"Returning health workers are exceptional people who are giving of themselves for humanity," he said.

"They should not be subjected to restrictions that are not based on science."

Ebola cases outside West Africa

Have you been affected by the issues raised in this article? You can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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