Mass protest urged in Burkina Faso

2 November 2014 Last updated at 00:37

Opposition parties and civic groups in Burkina Faso have called a mass rally for Sunday in protest at the army takeover after the resignation of President Blaise Compaore.

They said the management of the transition belonged to the people and should not be confiscated by the army.

It came hours after the army said Lt-Col Isaac Zida, second-in-command of the presidential guard, had been chosen as the nation's transitional leader.

Mr Compaore has fled to Ivory Coast.

"The victory born from this popular uprising belongs to the people, and the task of managing the transition falls by right to the people," opposition groups said in a statement.

"In no case can it be confiscated by the army."

There were protests earlier this week after Mr Compaore sought to amend the constitution and extend his long hold on the presidency.

On Thursday, protesters set fire to parliament and government buildings in the capital Ouagadougou.

'Opposition weak'

The BBC's Thomas Fessy, following events from Senegal, says there is growing concern among the population that events may now be hijacked by a military coup.

But in a country where the ousted president has dominated the political scene for nearly three decades, the opposition remains weak and the turnout at the rally will be a measure of its credibility, our correspondent says.

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Brigadier General Pingrenoma Zagre, right, announced Colonel Zida (l) as Burkina's Faso's transitional leader

The army's response will show if the new man in charge, Lieutenant Colonel Zida, is ready to respect the wishes of the people, our correspondent adds.

Under the country's constitution, the president of the Senate should take over after the national president resigns, with elections taking place between 60 and 90 days afterwards.

The African Union has called for a "civilian-led transition" culminating as soon as possible in "the holding of free, fair and transparent elections".

In a statement, AU chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma urged the military to "refrain from any acts or statements that may lead to further instability".

The US state department urged an immediate transfer of power to civilian authorities in Burkina Faso and a move towards free and fair presidential elections.

The unveiling of Lt-Col Zida as interim leader came after what analysts say was a 24-hour power struggle within the army.

The army statement's was signed by army chief General Honore Traore, who had declared himself head of state in the immediate aftermath of President Compaore's resignation.

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Bangladesh power back after blackout

2 November 2014 Last updated at 05:57

The authorities in Bangladesh say power has been restored to most of the country after a nationwide blackout on Saturday.

Officials said engineers had managed to repair plants supplying about 70% of electricity users and hoped to re-connect the rest on Sunday.

There were loud cheers in the capital, Dhaka, as lights came back in phases.

The blackout was the country's worst since a 2007 cyclone knocked out the national grid for several hours.

The authorities blamed the incident on the failure of a transmission line, which led to power plants and substations shutting down.

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

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

Dhaka's hospitals and its international airport used emergency generators to continue running but many offices were forced to send employees home.

Water supplies were also badly hit as most of the pumps which lift groundwater could not function.

Bangladesh began importing electricity from India in October last year.

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Ukraine separatists hold elections

2 November 2014 Last updated at 06:18

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Laura Westbrook: "The two front runners are already acting leaders in each region"

Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine are holding elections denounced by the West as "illegitimate".

Presidential and parliamentary polls are being held in the two self-proclaimed people's republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Ukraine, the US and EU say they will not recognise the elections but Russia has given its support to the polls.

At least seven Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Friday amid intensified clashes in the region.

The Donetsk and Luhansk regions fell to separatists after months of fighting in eastern Ukraine that ended with the Minsk ceasefire deal in September.

Rebel leaders say that as independent states they are not required to observe Ukrainian law and therefore did not participate in Ukraine's national elections last week.

They say three million ballots have been printed for the polls, which will provide for directly elected presidents and parliaments.

"These elections are important because they will give legitimacy to our power and give us more distance from Kiev," Roman Lyagin, election commission chief of the Donetsk region, told the AFP news agency.

US 'deplores' polls

But Western leaders and ministers in the capital Kiev say the territories must abide by the truce, which was agreed with Russia, and hold local elections under Ukrainian law in December.

"We deplore the intent of separatists in parts of eastern Ukraine to hold illegitimate so-called local 'elections' on Sunday," the White House said in a statement on Friday.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the Minsk deal provided for elections "in co-ordination with, not in line with" Ukrainian plans.

Alexander Zakharchenko, the acting head of government in Donetsk, is widely tipped to become the region's president.

Meanwhile, Igor Plotnitsky is being touted by Russian media as the favourite to win in Luhansk.

But the elections come amid continuing violence in eastern Ukraine.

A spokesman for Ukraine's army said on Saturday that seven soldiers had been killed and 10 wounded during 24 hours of fighting across the breakaway regions.

At least 3,700 people have been killed in fighting since armed separatists took over government buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk in April.

Are you in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions? Have you taken part in the elections? Send us your views by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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Virgin crash probe 'may take a year'

2 November 2014 Last updated at 08:38

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NTSB acting chairman Christopher Hart outlines the investigation process

The investigation into the Virgin Galactic spacecraft crash in California's Mojave Desert could take about a year, the head of the US transport safety agency has said.

Christopher Hart said Virgin Galactic would be able conduct further test flights while the investigation took place.

SpaceShipTwo broke up in mid-air during a test flight on Friday.

One of the pilots was killed and the other injured.

Virgin chief Sir Richard Branson says he is "determined to find out what went wrong" and learn from the tragedy.

The US National Transportation Safety Board team had completed its first full day of investigation, Mr Hart said, and would be examining evidence at the scene for four to seven days.

He said the craft's debris was spread over an area measuring five miles from end to end.

He told a news conference the test flight had been "heavily documented" and his team would have to trawl through "extensive data", which was why the full investigation could take "about 12 months or so".

He said there were six cameras on the craft itself, with another three on its launcher, an aircraft called WhiteKnightTwo, although it was unclear whether SpaceShipTwo's cameras had been found.

The co-pilot who died when SpaceShipTwo disintegrated shortly after take-off was named as 39-year-old Michael Alsbury.

The pilot who survived was identified as Peter Siebold. Scaled Composites, the company both pilots worked for, said Mr Siebold, 43, was "alert and talking with his family and doctors".

Mr Hart said his team were waiting for doctors to allow them to interview Mr Siebold.

The pilots

Michael Alsbury

• Aged 39
• Married with two children
• 15 years of flying experience
• First flew in SpaceShipTwo in 2010
• Flew craft's first rocket-powered run in April 2013

Peter Siebold

• Aged 43
• Married with two children
• Received pilot's licence when just 16
• Started working for Scaled Composites in 1996
• Had spent 2,000 hours in 35 different fixed-wing aircraft

Will crash set back space tourism?

'A massive setback'

Speaking earlier at the at the Mojave Air and Space Port, where the craft was being developed, Sir Richard said "nobody underestimates the risks involved in space travel".

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

"It's a horrible day for Virgin Galactic and for commercial space travel. It's a massive setback," Sir Richard told the BBC.

He said the company had to pick itself up, find out what went wrong and see whether they can fix it.

"I'm hopeful we'll be able to overcome the problems," he added.

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Sir Richard Branson: "It's a massive setback"

The spacecraft was flying its first test flight for nine months when it crashed near the town of Bakersfield.

Virgin Galactic said SpaceShipTwo had experienced "a serious anomaly" after it separated from WhiteKnightTwo.

The space craft was using a new type of rocket fuel never before used in flight, although officials said it had undergone extensive ground testing.

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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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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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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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Funeral of murdered SA footballer

1 November 2014 Last updated at 09:53

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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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US faces Ebola quarantine test case

30 October 2014 Last updated at 05:10

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Ebola nurse Kaci Hickox : 'I don't think this is an acceptable line to be drawn'

A nurse who cared for Ebola patients in Sierra Leone is fighting the US state of Maine over its right to quarantine her against her will.

In a test case for returning US health workers, Kaci Hickox has vowed to leave her home on Thursday if the state does not lift the restrictions.

President Barack Obama has been sharply critical of isolation being forced on people he says are "American heroes".

Almost 5,000 people have died from the Ebola virus, mostly in West Africa.

On Thursday, US ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power is expected to call for a stronger international response when she meets EU officials in Brussels.

She has been visiting the countries most affected - Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia - to show US support, as well as Ghana, where the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response is based.

In other developments:

The infection last week of a doctor in New York who had returned from Guinea has sparked a debate in the US over isolation policies for people coming back from West Africa.

Dr Craig Spencer had travelled on the subway and been bowling the night before he developed a fever, which is the point when people become contagious.

The governors of New York and New Jersey introduced mandatory quarantines as a result, and Ms Hickox was outraged to be put in a tent in Newark on returning from Sierra Leone last Friday.

Officials said she had a temperature - which she denies - but she was released from Newark on Monday and flown back to Maine to be monitored at her boyfriend's house in Fort Kent.

"I am not going to sit around and be bullied around by politicians and be forced to stay in my home when I am not a risk to the American public," said Ms Hickox, who has tested negative for Ebola twice and has no symptoms.

She appeared briefly outside the house on Wednesday night to speak to reporters and express her continued frustration.

"I'm not willing to stand here and let my civil rights be violated when it's not science-based,'" she said.

But Maine Governor Paul LePage has said he would seek legal authority to keep her isolated at home until 10 November.

"While we certainly respect the rights of one individual, we must be vigilant in protecting 1.3 million Mainers, as well as anyone who visits our great state," he said in a statement.

California became the latest US state to announce tough rules for people returning from the Ebola-hit region.

These states are in defiance of the updated federal guidelines issued on Monday that call for active monitoring but not quarantine.

Twice this week, President Obama has condemned quarantine as a policy based on fear, not science, while praising the work of US aid workers.

"We need to call them what they are, which is American heroes," he said.

"They deserve our gratitude, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and with respect.''

But he has faced questions why the Pentagon is imposing a 21-day isolation on returning military personnel, despite them not coming into contact with Ebola patients while working to build clinics in West Africa.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Spread by body fluids, such as blood and saliva
• Fatality rate can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 70%
• No proven vaccine or cure
• Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus's natural host

Ebola special report

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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Groups condemn Singapore gay ruling

30 October 2014 Last updated at 08:23

Human rights groups have condemned a Singapore court's decision that a law banning gay sex is constitutional.

The Court of Appeal on Wednesday rejected two legal challenges arguing that the law, Section 377A, infringes on gay citizens' rights.

Under Section 377A, men who engage in "gross indecency" privately or publicly can be jailed for up to two years.

Singapore, which largely remains conservative, has seen intense debate in recent years over gay rights.

Human Rights Watch called the decision "a major setback for equal rights", adding that it "tramples upon basic rights to privacy, equality and non-discrimination".

On Thursday, 14 local rights groups released a statement saying the court had missed an opportunity to show that Singapore was "a truly accepting, open and inclusive society".

The groups said Section 377A "gives carte blanche for discrimination and reinforces prejudice".

"To be viewed as equal in the eyes of the law... is a right to which every Singaporean should be entitled, and not denied on the basis of whom they love," they added.

Jean Chong, spokesman for lesbian group Sayoni, told the BBC that the ruling effectively made homosexual, bisexual and transgender Singaporeans "second-class citizens".

Government leaders have pledged not to enforce Section 377A, first introduced in 1938 by British colonial rulers. But they have also refused to remove it, saying it reflects the conservative mores of Singapore society.

Lawyers involved in the legal challenges, mounted separately by a gay couple and a gay man, argued that the law went against the constitution guaranteeing "life and liberty" and equal protection.

But the court rejected these claims, and said it was up to legislators to decide on the law.

Though surveys have shown most Singaporeans do not accept homosexuality, there is widespread tolerance. Since 2009 rights groups have held an annual rally known as Pink Dot, which this year drew its largest-ever crowd of 26,000.

But conservatives have pushed back against gay activism and campaigned vigorously for Section 377A to remain.

In July, library authorities withdrew copies of two children's books featuring same-sex couples including gay penguins, prompting a national debate. The books, slated for pulping, were eventually placed in the adult section.

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