Somali president's nephew killed in al-Shabab attack

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionThe government of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is fighting al-Shabab

The nephew of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been shot dead in the capital, Mogadishu.

Gunmen opened fire on Dr Liban Osman's vehicle as it was travelling through the city's Wadajir neighbourhood early on Wednesday.

Burundi expels Rwandan diplomat for 'creating insecurity'

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionRelations between Rwanda's Paul Kagame (L) and Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza (R) have soured in recent years

Burundi has expelled a Rwandan diplomat, whom it accuses of destabilising the country, a Burundian official has told the BBC.

Desire Nyaruhirira had been a top adviser at the Rwandan embassy in Burundi for many years.

African countries at heart of Ebola outbreak see first virus-free week

More than 11,000 people have died in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the world's worst known occurrence of Ebola

The three West African countries at the heart of an Ebola epidemic recorded their first week with no new cases since the outbreak was declared in March 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

Burkina Faso coup general ‘charged with attacking state security’

General Gilbert Diendere (right) and Djibrill Bassolé have allegedly been charged with ‘attacking state security’

The general behind Burkina Faso’s failed coup was charged, together with a former top aide to ousted president Blaise Compaoré, with “murder” and “attacking state security” on Tuesday, judicial sources said.

South Africa greets spring with a heatwave

Southern hemisphere heatwaves are back with us and the South African Weather Service has issued a heatwave warning for the north of the country. It defined the phenomenon as a period of consistently high temperatures which are at least five degrees higher than the average maximum of the hottest month.

Vanepia Phakula, weather forecaster, said the warning is expected to continue through to this weekend, with Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga being affected.

These are the three northeastern provinces of South Africa: Gauteng covers Johannesburg and Pretoria, the major metropolitan areas; Mpumalanga borders Swaziland and Mozambique, a border it shares with Limpopo, and both these provinces incorporate the Kruger National Park.

At the equinox of September 21, temperatures were around average, but soon afterwards the thermometer soared. Pretoria shows an average temperature of 29C for October, but since the start of the month it's been above that. For the last two days it's been recording 37C.

Skukuza, on the edge of Kruger National Park hit 42C on Monday October 5; it too should expect to be around 29C.

The heat is drifting slowly south and KwaZulu-Natal is next in line.

Pietermaritzburg is forecast to approach the 40C in the next two days.

Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal, is in the midst of the driest year in a century.

As temperatures reach into the 40s this month in Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle, Ulundi and Ladysmith, the Weather service and Umgeni Water have urged people to conserve water and prepare for a dry summer.

"Currently there is a very strong El Nino phase in effect, and there is significant concern for South Africa's summer rainfall areas. The coming summer is unlikely to provide much relief for current drought-stricken areas such as KwaZulu-Natal."

A recent report by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) said that 2015 may be the warmest year ever recorded in Africa.

According to the CSIR this is partially due to climate change, and partially due to the El Nino event currently in evidence in the Pacific Ocean.

Temperatures over subtropical southern Africa have risen at more than twice the global rate over the last five decades. This will not be the only heatwave this year, nor will South Africa be the only country affected.

Triple suicide attacks hit northeastern Nigeria

Suicide bombers killed at least 18 people in three dawn attacks in the northeastern Nigerian town of Damaturu, officials and witnesses said.

Separately, Boko Haram attacked a rural military camp in northeastern Yobe state overnight but were repulsed by troops who killed at least 100 of their fighters, the military said.

Seven troops died in the fighting and nine were injured in the village of Goniri, said army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman.

Hours later, at around 6am local time on Wednesday, when mosques were filled with worshippers performing early-morning prayers, two women suicide bombers struck in Damaturu, Yobe state's commercial centre.

"One of the suicide bombers gained entry into the mosque and detonated explosives, and the other bomber was sighted roaming around the compound and [when] asked questions, she too detonated explosives," said resident Ibrahim Musa.

He said he counted 15 bodies and 12 wounded people rushed to the hospital in Damaturu, which has suffered dozens of attacks during Nigeria's 6-year-old Islamic uprising.

Police Assistant Superintendent Toyin Gbagedesin said seven people died in the Damaturu attacks. There was no immediate way to reconcile the conflicting tolls.

Gbagedesin also reported a third attack by two male suicide bombers on a settlement of Fulani herders that he said killed 10 people.

Residents blamed Boko Haram for the dawn attack on the Muhammadu Buhari Housing Estate.

Nobody claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Nigeria has stepped up efforts to end the six-year conflict with Boko Haram, during which the group has killed thousands in shootings and bombings.

Attacks have spilled over into neighbouring countries. Chadian authorities said a Boko Haram attack on Tuesday near Chad's border with Nigeria left 11 soldiers and 37 militants dead.

Amnesty International estimates 20,000 people have died in this conflict.

Burkina Faso launches negotiations for coup leader’s surrender

Burkina Faso’s government said on Wednesday it had started negotiations to persuade the leader of a short-lived coup to surrender, a day after he took refuge in the Vatican’s compound in the capital.

General Gilbert Diendere fled just before government troops raided barracks held by his forces in Ouagadougou, wiping out the last vestiges of his bid to take over the West African nation.

“Negotiations are under way for his surrender to the authorities,” the government said on state television.

Later, interim President Michel Kafando visited the recaptured barracks to thank the soldiers now in charge of it. He told journalists there were no casualties during the assault.

Diendere’s forces - members of an elite presidential guard unit - raided a cabinet meeting on Sept. 16 and detained Kafando, the prime minister and several cabinet members.

Thousands of people took to the streets of the capital and other cities demanding an end to the rebellion which was condemned by regional and world powers. Troops loyal to the government moved in and ended the coup a week later.

The uprising disrupted a delicate political transition that followed the fall of President Blaise Compaore after 27 years in power.

Kafando had stepped in as an interim leader after a popular uprising toppled Compaore and the country was less than a month away from Oct. 11 elections meant to restore democracy.

Diendere was one of Compaore’s key supporters.