A female human rights activist has been shot dead in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, which has seen violent anti-government protests in recent weeks. Video posted online appears to show an unidentified man opening fire at Suad al-Ali as she gets into a car near a supermarket in the Abbasiya area. Another man, believed to be her husband, was wounded in the attack. Mrs Ali, who supported the protests, was head of an organisation called al-Weed al-Alaiami For Human Rights. A photo of her on the group's website that appears to have been taken earlier this month showed her at a demonstration with other women. A caption said they were standing "side by side with our brothers, sons and family in our Basra". Basra, which is home to more than 2 million people, has seen months of violent protests amid growing public anger at issues including poor infrastructure, contaminated water, and a lack of jobs. The demonstrations continued after a two-week pause on Tuesday, with almost 1,000 people reportedly taking to the streets. Earlier this month, protesters set on fire a number of government and political buildings, as well as the Iranian consulate and the headquarters of an Iran-backed paramilitary force, after a number of people were killed in clashes with police. Local residents say the government is corrupt and has allowed infrastructure to virtually collapse in a region that generates much of Iraq's oil wealth. They have also denounced what they perceive as Iran's control of local affairs.

A judge in Nicaragua has issued an arrest warrant for opposition activist Felix Maradiaga, accusing him of having financed anti-government protests. Hundreds of people have been killed since the wave of protests began in April. Mr Maradiaga, who is believed to be outside Nicaragua, has denied any wrongdoing. He also said that he believed it was his duty to continue the "civic struggle" against the government. Hundreds of people have been arrested in connection with the protests and human rights group say more than a hundred are still being held. A report by the United Nations Office on Human Rights published last month said government opponents had been "persecuted and criminalised". Many of those who led the protests have gone abroad for fear of being detained. Mr Maradiaga recently spoke before the United Nations Security Council of what he said was the "climate of terror and indiscriminate persecution" in Nicaragua. Prosecutors accuse Mr Maradiaga and two other men, Pío Arellano and Jean Carlos López, of organised crime and financing terrorism. They say the three men used the think-tank Mr Maradiaga heads, the Institute of Strategic Studies and Public Policies, to channel money to the protesters. The funds were allegedly used to train demonstrators in how to destabilise the government of President Daniel Ortega. Mr Maradiaga says that he had "always been guided by justice, non-violence and integrity". "I'm not surprised that the tyrannical Ortega-Murillo family should insist in my persecution," he said of the family of the president and his wife and Vice-President, Rosario Murillo. "They're using the most ridiculous and false arguments, but I'm surprised they think these made-up allegations will shut me up in my search for freedom and justice." The judge also ordered that the homes of the three men be searched. The Nicaraguan government accuses the protesters of trying to topple the government by fanning violent protests. President Ortega has denied his country is holding any political prisoners and has described those detained as criminals.

The US treasury department has imposed financial sanctions on Venezuela's First Lady, Cilia Flores. The move comes just over a year after President Nicolás Maduro had his assets frozen by the US government. US treasury chief Steve Mnuchin said the Venezuelan "regime systematically plunders what remains of Venezuela's wealth". Mr Maduro later thanked the US in a televised address "for surrounding him with dignity". In a speech at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said Venezuela was one of the "truly bad places" in the world. He also said Mr Maduro could be toppled "very quickly" if his own military decided to turn on him. "It's a regime that frankly could be toppled very quickly by the military if the military decides to do that," Mr Trump said as he met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Colombian President Ivan Duque. Mr Maduro said Mr Trump's comments were an apology for America's history of colonialism in the region. Surrounded by sanctioned officials who joined him during an event broadcast on state television, he said: "Thank you, Donald Trump, for surrounding me with dignity." But he also said: "Don't mess with Cilia! Don't mess with family! Don't be cowards." Over the past two years, the Trump administration has imposed sanctions on dozens of Venezuelans, accusing them of corruption, drug trafficking and human rights abuses. "We are continuing to designate loyalists who enable Maduro to solidify his hold on the military and the government while the Venezuelan people suffer," Mr Mnuchin said in statement. The treasury department also placed Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino, Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez and her brother, Information Minister Jorge Rodríguez, on its Specially Designated Nationals list. It also seized a private Gulfstream jet worth $20m (£15.2m) belonging to Rafael Sarria, who according to the treasury department is a "front man" for Diosdado Cabello, the president of the National Constituent Assembly and an influential figure in the government. Mr Cabello is already subject to US sanctions. The were imposed in July 2017, at the same time as those targeting President Maduro. "Treasury will continue to impose a financial toll on those responsible for Venezuela's tragic decline, and the networks and frontmen they use to mask their illicit wealth," the statement reads. The statement also said that the sanctions could be lifted if those named "take concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order, refuse to take part in human rights abuses, speak out against abuses committed by the government, and combat corruption in Venezuela". Mounting pressure It is not the first time the US has accused the Venezuelan government of corruption. Two weeks ago, a US treasury official said Venezuela's government was stealing from a state-run food programme while its people went hungry. Pressure on Venezuela has also been growing within Latin America. Food shortages and a widespread economic and political crisis have driven 2.3 million Venezuelans out of their homeland since 2014, many of them to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile. Countries in the region say they are struggling to cope with the influx of Venezuelans and a group 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries as well as Canada, known as the the Lima Group, are due to meet on Tuesday in New York to discuss how to deal with the mass migration. Peru's foreign minister announced last week that his country - along with Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay - would ask the International Criminal Court to start a preliminary investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in Venezuela.

Free trade comes in many forms. It ranges from single markets to customs unions, to association agreements, to free trade agreements (FTAs) and beyond. The EU has negotiated 35 trade agreements for its member states, with another 22 pending. But it says "the most ambitious trade agreement that the EU has ever concluded" is with Canada. It's called the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Signed in October 2016, it provisionally came into force last September. The only remaining step is for all the countries to ratify it, which could take several years. But exporters and importers have been working under its rules for a year, and many now believe the CETA model could be a template for the UK's trading relationship with the EU after Brexit. What does CETA do? Some 98% of all tariffs on goods traded between Canada and the EU have become duty free. Most tariffs were removed when the agreement came into force a year ago. All will be removed within seven years. It means Canadian importers will not have to pay €590m (£529m) in taxes on the goods they receive from the EU, and European importers will see tariffs reduced to zero on some 9,000 Canadian products. The EU and Canada will open up public contracts at local, regional and federal levels to each other's contractors - that means Canadian companies, say, pitching to build French railways or British builders bidding to construct an Ontario school. It protects EU "geographical indications", meaning you can only make prosciutto di Parma ham in Italy and camembert cheese in France, and Canada can't import something that calls itself camembert from any other country inside or outside the EU. How will trade change? These are the kinds of changes CETA brought in: EU tariffs on Canadian goods reduced to zero - frozen mackerel (previously 20%), oats (51.7%), maple syrup (8%), auto parts (4.5%) Canadian tariffs on EU goods reduced to zero - chocolate (previously 10%), textiles and clothing (16%), medical equipment (8%), machinery (9.5%) Tariff-free quotas (limits) on EU cheese exports to Canada: raised from 18,500 tonnes to 31,972 tonnes Tariff-free quotas on Canadian sweet corn exports to the EU: raised from zero to 8,000 tonnes over five years. Does CETA affect services? It offers more protection for intellectual property rights. So for instance a European artist can obtain royalties from a Vancouver cafe or department store that plays music to attract new customers. The EU and Canada will co-operate on standards, so that a piece of equipment made in an EU country can go through all its safety and quality checks there without needing to have them repeated in Canada - and vice versa. CETA will also allow professional qualifications to be recognised both in Canada and the EU, making it easier, for example, for architects or accountants to work in both places. What CETA doesn't do It is not a customs union or single market so the two parties are free to do trade deals with any other country. It does not remove border controls, but it encourages the use of advanced electronic checking to speed customs clearance. CETA does little for trade in financial services that is not covered by World Trade Organization rules that both sides are already signed up to. Canadian financial companies will not get "passporting", which would allow them to sell their products across the 28 nations of the EU. The same limitations apply for EU banks in Canada. Tariffs will remain on poultry, meat and eggs. Several other agri-products will be given quotas. For instance, the EU will allow Canadians to export increasing amounts of duty-free meat to the EU - up to 80,000 tonnes of pork, 50,000 tonnes of beef - as well as 100,000 tonnes of wheat. But the EU insists those products meet its quality standards - so that's no hormone-treated beef, and tightly controlled GM cereals. Is it popular? Politicians like it, some businesses are taking advantage of it but a lot of civil liberties and environmental groups are less happy. Critics argue it will erode labour laws, not enforce environmental standards and allow multinational companies to dictate public policy. CETA does change the way trade disputes are settled, using a new type of tribunal, the Investment Court System (ICS). But not everyone is convinced. Protesters took to the streets in Brussels as the deal was about to be signed. The French-speaking Walloon region of Belgium brought the whole process to a virtual halt by objecting to the way dispute settlement procedures were to be conducted. Even now Italy has threatened not to ratify it because it claims it does not sufficiently protect some of its "geographical indications". The threat could theoretically scupper the deal but the European Commission has said as a last resort it may settle the matter in court. Meanwhile the EU (including Italy) and Canada have been trading under the terms of CETA for over a year. Could it work as a Brexit model? There are big differences between the EU-Canada and the EU-UK trading relationship. Firstly, there is a difference in the value of goods and services traded. Only 10% of Canada's external trade goes to the EU. Total trade between the two is worth about C$85bn (£50bn). About 43% of UK external trade is with the EU. It is the UK's biggest trading partner. Total trade between the two is worth about £318bn. In addition, the nature of the trade is very different. Canada's main trade with the EU is in precious stones and metals, machinery, mineral ores, mineral fuels and oils, aircraft, aircraft parts and pharmaceuticals. Agri-food trade between the two amounts to about £5bn. Canada's services exports amounted to £11bn and were largely in management, research and development (R&D,) financial and IT services. In contrast, the UK exports £27bn in financial services alone to the EU, and a total of £90bn in all services. Agri-food trade between the UK and the EU amounts to about £30bn. The UK exports goods worth £236bn to the EU across a wider range of industries than Canada. Motor vehicles and parts worth £18bn are the largest single sector followed by chemicals and chemical products worth £15bn. Does CETA work? It is early days but most observers say it's good for business. Exports to the EU during the six months to July rose about 6% on the same period a year earlier, to C$19.7bn (£11.6bn), according to Statistics Canada. Jim Carr, Canada's Minister of International Trade Diversification said: "At the Port of Montreal alone, we have seen 20% more traffic in goods headed across the Atlantic. "This enormous step in growth for Canada and the EU has been the reason why new shipping lanes have been added to accommodate container traffic." The European Commission is equally ebullient about the deal, pointing out the successes of small companies such as Belgium's Smet Chocolaterie which is opening shops across Canada, or Italy's San Daniele ham producers who have increased sales to Canada by 35%. It estimates exports to Canada are up by over 7% year-on-year.

Hundreds of jobs will be lost when a major employer in Grimsby closes its pharmaceutical factory as part of "global transformation". Drugs firm Novartis employs about 400 people at the site off Moody Lane in the town but it is to close by 2020. The firm says the job losses are part of a major restructuring of operations. Cleethorpes Conservative MP Martin Vickers said the announcement was "a massive blow" which had knock-on implications for the area. Novartis said the move was "not linked to the UK decision to leave the European Union". "Novartis has been a part of the Grimsby community for many years so this has been a very difficult decision," a company statement said. "The Grimsby site is an effective, well-running operation that is testament to the hard-working and dedicated employees." Novartis currently employs about 1,500 people in the UK. Coun Peter Wheatley, of North East Lincolnshire Council said: "This is terrible news for local people who work at the plant. "Novartis has been a part of the North East Lincolnshire economy for more than 50 years in one way or another." David Talbot, chief executive of Immingham-based Catch - an organisation that develops workers' skills and qualifications in the Humber region -, said: "I do understand that it's not linked to any of the EU discussions. "I believe that it's just a strategic decision, but of course our thought go out to the staff, the 400 people" Mr Vickers said: "It's not just the loss of around 400 jobs, it's the knock-on effect for contact and supply chain and so on, so it's a massive blow." 'Committed to UK' Haseeb Ahmad, Novartis UK country president, said: "This decision has been made alongside broader changes to our business globally, and as a result of the changes in our product portfolio which now focuses on more specialised medicines, reflective of today's changing healthcare needs. "Novartis remains committed to the UK and believes that the UK is a world-leader in life sciences." The firm, which has its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, said the Grimsby closure would be phased until the end of 2020 and it would be consulting affected staff. Novartis added it was hoping to "secure a future for the site and was working to identify potential partners". The GMB union has been approached for comment.

The remaining members in the Iranian nuclear deal say they will set up a new payment system to maintain business with Iran and bypass US sanctions. The system would facilitate oil companies and businesses to continue trading, without relying on the US-led global market and dollar. Exactly how the system would work is still being determined. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump pulled the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of action, as the nuclear deal is officially known, was negotiated during the US presidency of Barack Obama. It saw Iran limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini announced the plan after talks at the UN with the remaining members of the accord - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia. A statement said they were determined to "protect the freedom of their economic operators to pursue legitimate business with Iran". Ms Mogherini said the technical experts would discuss the details of the new payment mechanisms. Analysts though doubt whether such a mechanism is feasible given the US could modify its sanctions to encompass any new system. Mr Trump has called the deal "one-sided", "disastrous" and the "worst I've ever seen". He believes renewed economic pressure, which went into force in August, will force Iran to agree to a new deal. The value of Iran's currency, the rial, has been damaged by the new US policy.

Archaeologists have found a 400-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Portugal, in what one specialist called the "discovery of a decade". Spices, ceramics and cannons engraved with Portugal's coat of arms all lie around the wreck, found near Cascais, close to the capital Lisbon. The team believe the ship was returning from India when it sank sometime between 1575 and 1625. This was at the height of Portugal's spice trade with Asia. At a depth of 12m (40ft) the wreck was very well preserved, project director Jorge Freire told Reuters news agency. "From a heritage perspective, this is the discovery of the decade," he said, calling it "the most important find of all time" for the country. Chinese porcelain from the late 16th and early 17th centuries was also among the wreck, as were bronze artillery pieces and cowry shells - a currency used in the slave trade. Cascais municipal council said the ship was found at the start of September while dredging the mouth of the Tagus river, which runs past the resort town through Lisbon. Mayor Carlos Carreiras told the Guardian newspaper it was an "extraordinary discovery", which will reinforce their "collective identity and shared values". The find is part of a 10-year archaeological project supported by the town of Cascais, the Portuguese government and navy, and Nova University in Lisbon. The Minister of Culture, Luis Mendes, said the mouth of the Tagus river was considered a "hotspot" for wrecks. "This discovery came to prove it," he said.

Ryanair says it has cancelled 190, or about 8% of its 2,400 scheduled flights this Friday. The airline has adjusted its schedule in the face of strike action being taken by unions in Spain, Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Italy and Germany. The Irish airline says this will affect 30,000 passengers, who have been notified by text and email. The long-running industrial action by Ryanair staff centres on working conditions. Ryanair says it "sincerely regrets these unnecessary customer disruptions", which it blames on agitation from competitor airlines. Workers based in countries other than Ireland are unhappy that Ryanair has been employing them under Irish legislation. Staff claim this creates significant insecurity for them, blocking their access to state benefits in their home country. Employees say they are compelled to receive their pay in Irish bank accounts, which affects their credit rating in their home country. Any queries they have must be made to an Irish number, which is more expensive than a local call. Ryanair said it has agreed to move to local contracts, law and taxation as quickly as possible next year, but with certain conditions. The company said on Tuesday it had signed deals with three cabin crew unions in Italy to provide employment contracts under Italian law. Ryanair said it had made significant progress in recent weeks with union negotiations, which include pilot and/or cabin crew agreements in Ireland, UK, Italy and Germany. It added that, in the past two weeks, it had written to the pilot unions in Belgium, Holland, Spain, Portugal and Germany inviting them to negotiate similar agreements to that reached in Ireland for both pilots and cabin crew.

People from the EU should face the same immigration rules as those from elsewhere, once the UK has completely left the bloc, the cabinet has agreed. The agreement in principle follows a recommendation of the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which was also backed by Labour. The cabinet unanimously supported a system based on skills rather than nationality, a source told the BBC. But some fear that a bar on low-skilled EU migrants may damage business. The prime minister has repeatedly vowed to end unlimited immigration from Europe after Brexit. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said: "Ending freedom of movement as it stands has become a rhetorical non-negotiable for Theresa May." But Hilary Benn, the Labour MP who chairs the Commons Brexit select committee, said the move was a mistake. "It would have been sensible to give preference to EU citizens given the close relationship we want to have," he told a fringe meeting at the party's conference in Liverpool. The cabinet agreement came after a presentation from the MAC chairman, Prof Alan Manning, at a lengthy meeting on Monday. According to one source, the principle was agreed that the UK would not show bias towards immigrants from any one part of the world over another when granting access to work. However, one cabinet source told the BBC the agreement did not constitute a firm decision and a government source said there could be "light touch migration" rules for EU nationals as part of any wider Brexit trade deal. The government does not call this "preferential" treatment because a similar arrangement could be struck with, for example, the US as part of a UK-US trade deal. The EU's principle of freedom of movement currently allows people from the European Economic Area - all EU countries, as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein - plus Switzerland, to travel and work within the area without visas, regardless of skills. The UK is due to withdraw from the European Union on 29 March next year, although an "implementation period" lasting until 31 December 2020 has been agreed as part of the proposed Brexit deal being negotiated between the UK and the EU. In that transition period, EU citizens arriving in the UK would enjoy the same rights and guarantees as those who arrive beforehand. The same would apply to UK expats on the continent. It remains unclear what would happen in the event of a "no-deal" Brexit, as the transition period would not then happen and the new migration system would, government sources say, have to be "tapered in" because it would not be ready by March. Last week, the Migration Advisory Committee, an independent public body which advises ministers on migration issues, called for the annual limit on the number of high-skilled workers from outside the EU granted permission to work to be scrapped. Currently set at 20,700 a year, the cap - imposed by Mrs May when at the Home Office - has resulted in thousands of IT specialists and NHS candidates being denied visas. A change in the rules for NHS workers was announced in June after pressure from health bosses. Lobby groups such as the Campaign for Science and Engineering have argued that job offers in other areas, such as science and engineering, should also be exempt from the rules. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has previously said he was taking a "fresh look" at the Tier 2 cap. Some business groups, particularly in industries such as agriculture and hospitality, have warned that any future arrangement barring low-skilled migrants could cause disruption. It is understood that at Monday's cabinet meeting Business Secretary Greg Clark raised the concerns of businesses at a sudden change, arguing that there could be pressure for a gradual, rather than immediate shake up after Brexit. The Chancellor Philip Hammond agreed that was likely but sources say there was a unanimous decision to move to a new system based on the principle of equal access, albeit with the acceptance that some sectors would need low skilled migrants from the EU.

The father of a child who was dramatically rescued after dangling from a Paris balcony has been given a three-month suspended sentence. Convicted of neglecting his parental responsibilities, the man has also been ordered to take a course in being a better parent. Malian migrant Mamoudou Gassama scaled four floors of the building with his bare hands to save the four year old, who was left unsupervised. His feat led to international acclaim. Mr Gassama has since been given French citizenship and personally thanked by President Emmanuel Macron. The father, who has not been named, left the little boy alone to go shopping and then delayed his return to play Pokemon Go, prosecutors said at the time. The child's mother had remained in Réunion, where the family is from. The father's lawyer Romain Ruiz told Le Figaro that his client was very aware of the mistake he had made. The boy was returned to the custody of his parents the day after the incident.

Briton Mike Hall, one of the world's best ultra-endurance cyclists, died almost instantly when he was hit by a car during a race in Australia last year, an inquest has heard. Mr Hall, 35, had been competing in the Indian Pacific Wheel Race when he was struck on a highway near Canberra. An inquest has heard evidence that it was dark at the time and would have been hard for a motorist to see. Driver Shegu Bobb, 19, thought he had hit a kangaroo, the hearing was told. Mr Hall, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, suffered major head, spinal and abdominal injuries, the Coroner's Court in the Australian Capital Territory heard. He had been in second place when he was hit by Mr Bobb's car at 06.22 local time on 31 March last year. The vehicle was travelling at 100km/h (62 mph). The coast-to-coast race - in which cyclists ride a 5,500km (3,400 miles) route from Fremantle to Sydney - was known for its difficulty, the inquest heard. Counsel assisting the inquest, Ken Archer, described the event as a "Hunger Games on wheels", with some riders completing up to 400km a day and sleeping only four hours a night. He said Mr Hall had been wearing dark clothing with little reflective material at the time of the collision. However, the inquest was also played documentary footage of Mr Hall racing at night in which he was visible. Cycling community shock Mr Bobb was on his way to work at the time of the accident. Police told the court that he had been distracted by a parked truck as he turned on to the highway, and had no time to avoid the collision. No charges have been laid against Mr Bobb. He had suffered significant distress and shock after the crash, the inquest heard. The cyclist's death shocked the sport and prompted memorial rides in Australia and the UK. It also led to the cancellation of this year's Indian Pacific Wheel Race. Hall won the 2012 World Cycle Race and had been living in Monmouthshire, South Wales. His family has travelled to Australia to attend the inquest, which concludes on Thursday.

Dozens of Kenyans are flocking to cinemas to watch a critically acclaimed local film about a lesbian relationship after a ban was temporarily lifted. A High Court ruling lifted the ban for only a week to enable the film Rafiki meet entry requirements for the Academy Awards, which require a movie to have been shown for at least seven consecutive days in the country of origin. The Rafiki sold out at the weekend to a home audience in the capital, Nairobi, forcing the cinema to open a second screen. It will also be screened in two other cities - Mombasa and Kisumu. Kenya’s Film Classification Board (FCB), which had enforced the ban, monitored the screenings in Nairobi closely to ensure only adults were permitted to watch it. Some fans had to produce identity cards to prove their age. A section of the crowd wore T-shirts with anti-censorship slogans. FCB head Ezekiel Mutua maintains the movie’s homosexual storyline corrupts the country’s moral fabric. But his critics, including former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, have asked him to respect diversity and creativity. The Rafiki tells the story of two young women who fall in love in a society where gay relationships are frowned upon. It was the first Kenyan film to be selected for the Cannes Film festival, where it received positive reviews. The screening in Kenya now makes Rafiki eligible for the Oscars in the foreign language category.

Health workers involved in tackling Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Beni are resuming their outreach operations following a two-day suspension because of an attack by rebels. The attack, suspected to have been carried out the Ugandan group the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), killed at least 18 people, including 14 civilians. The local authorities agreed to allow the health workers to restart following a warning by the World Heath Organization (WHO). The WHO said efforts to control Ebola had to resume because it was spreading to border areas and Uganda was facing an imminent threat. The health workers will now be able to continue with vaccinations and the tracing of people who have contact with suspected Ebola patients. A hundred people have died since the start of the outbreak in July.

Thousands of young men and women today turned up at several recruiting centres in the capital, Kampala, for selection to a special security team. President Yoweri Museveni had ordered the recruitment of 24,000 people to beef up the Local Defence Units (LDU), as a way of dealing with rising insecurity in the capital following the killing of a top police officer on 8 September. To qualify to join, participants were required to produce a national identity card, a recommendation letter from the local council and four passport size photos but some did not have them. Half of the number that turned up didn't finish the mandatory 4km (2.8 miles) race. Others were not given an all clear after undergoing compulsory medical tests for HIV\AIDS and Hepatatis B, New Vision newspaper reports. The exercise to recruit the 6,000-strong force is expected to end on Friday.

A South African citizen has been kidnapped in Burkina Faso, its foreign office has said in a statement. It said that it was working with its mission in the region and law enforcement agencies in Burkina Faso to address the situation. News agency AFP reported on Monday that three miners - a South African, an Indian and a Burkinabé - were kidnapped between the Inata gold mine and the town of Djibo, which borders Mali and Niger. A fellow mine worker confirmed the incident, saying the three men "left the site (of the mine) around 08:000 and by 10:00 they had no more news of them". A security source told AFP that the kidnappers are "probably members of jihadist groups operating in the region", adding that the assailants "headed towards the Mali border, and have likely already crossed it". It is not the first time that foreign workers have been kidnapped in Burkina Faso.

There is growing concern about an outbreak of a disease in eastern Sudan which some reports suggest has killed more than 100 people. The government is blaming the chikunguya virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. But some doctors believe dengue fever might be to blame in some of the cases. The epicentre is the town of Kassala, but there are reports of cases in Gedarif and even in the capital, Khartoum. Sudanese activists are furious about the government's response to the crisis. A statement attributed to the ministry of health put the figures of those infected at over 90,000. Several videos and audio recording have been shared on Sudanese social media of people who have been allegedly stricken by the outbreak.

The Gabon Football Federation has named former captain Daniel Cousin as the new, sole coach of the national team. It had announced last week that Cousin would share the role with Pierre-Francois Aubameyang. But Aubameyang's son, Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, said his father, who was ill, had not agreed to accept the job. Cousin, 41, had spells with Hull City in England and Rangers in Scotland as well as playing for French side Lens. "He has accepted the post and will reveal his staff in the near future," the Gabon Football Federation (Fegafoot) told BBC Sport. Following Friday's angry denunciation of the original announcement by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on social media, Fegafoot was forced to admit that it had not reached a final agreement with his father.

Tributes have been pouring in for South Africa’s Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa who died at the weekend. The 61-year-old former anti-apartheid activist died in a Pretoria hospital from Legionnaires' disease, an extremely acute form of pneumonia. President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences before he travelled to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He said: "This is a devastating loss to our nation and to the global community who owe a great debt of gratitude to the late Minister Molewa, for her championship nationally and globally for the environmental integrity of a sustainable planet Earth that can be shared and enjoyed by all nations and all people, rich and poor." Her role in the establishment of the Paris climate agreement was also recognised. In a family statement Ms Molewa’s brother Fana Mmethi thanked the nation. He said: "We are comforted in the knowledge that we are not alone in this, our darkest hour. South Africa has lost a great leader: an activist, a patriot and a revolutionary who has been called to her Maker, leaving us bereft. "The scroll of history has recorded the life and deeds of this great woman who played a formative role in the liberation of South Africa.” President Ramaphosa ordered all flags to be flown at half-mast and has declared an official 'Category One' state funeral for her. The mother-of-four will be buried on 6 October.

The aid group Save the Children says it is concerned about two new Ebola cases recorded near the border with Uganda. It said they occurred about 200km (124 miles) from the epicentre of the new outbreak in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The organisation says it is now installing hand-washing facilities in Uganda and training village health teams. The World Health Organization says Uganda is facing an imminent threat of an Ebola outbreak.

South Africa’s former President Thabo Mbeki has bitterly criticised the government’s plan to amend the constitution to seize land without compensation. In a leaked document produced by his foundation, Mr Mbeki warned that the governing African National Congress (ANC) was targeting white people and abandoning the party’s non-racial values. Almost everyone in South Africa agrees that land reform has been a failure – that too much farmland, in particular, remains in the hands of the white minority. But the former president has now accused his own party, the ANC, of making matters worse, by pushing ahead with a racially divisive plan to amend the constitution in order to seize white-owned land without compensation. Mr Mbeki said his party was abandoning its long commitment to non-racialism, and seemed to be following the “vulgar” agenda of the populist EFF party. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised an orderly, accelerated land reform process, with an amended constitution offering greater clarity. But many fear a complex, potentially explosive issue is being exploited for political gain. In a leaked document, Mr Mbeki said the country had to tackle the “original sin” of colonialism and racial apartheid – but without resorting to a new racial chauvinism. “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white,” he said, quoting the ANC’s 1955 Freedom Charter.

Tanzania's government has handed over $54,727 (£41,600) to compensate families of people who died in last week's ferry accident on Lake Victoria just off the coast of Ukara island. Transport Minister Isaac Kamwele gave a dummy cheque with the amount to local officials. Earlier in the day, bereaved families boarded a ferry from Bugorora to Ukara to receive their promised compensation. The money is part of over $200,000 that has been raised so far through contributions from Tanzanians, non-governmental organisations and some religious leaders. The death toll from Friday's accident is 227. Officials say families will receive $437 for every lost relative, the 41 documented survivors and rescue workers will each receive the same payment. But I have met at least 30 people who said they were survivors who had not been included in the official list. John Majura told me he went home after swimming to the shore: Quote Message: I’m one of the survivors, this money collected won’t be enough to pay everyone, because until now, we are divided in two groups, there are those who were injured and came to hospital for treatment, those are the ones being listed, and that’s the 41 we are hearing, but some of us who didn’t sustain any injuries, we dashed home, we were not listed. This is where the confusion comes in." I’m one of the survivors, this money collected won’t be enough to pay everyone, because until now, we are divided in two groups, there are those who were injured and came to hospital for treatment, those are the ones being listed, and that’s the 41 we are hearing, but some of us who didn’t sustain any injuries, we dashed home, we were not listed. This is where the confusion comes in." The government has since disbanded the board of directors at Tanzania’s maritime safety agency, the Surface and Maritime Regulatory Authority, and has also launched an inquiry into what caused the accident. Local media say the capacity for the capsized ferry was 100 people, but officials say the vessel was carrying more than twice that number when it capsized. It operated on a busy route, crossing eight times a day between Ukara and Ukwerewe, which are close to Tanzania's second-largest city of Mwanza. The ferry was said to have been particularly busy because it was market day in Bugorora, on Ukerewe. The vessel was also carrying cargo, including bags of cement and maize, when it capsized around 50 metres from the shore.

A BBC investigation into a horrifying viral video which shows Cameroonian soldiers leading away and killing two women and two young children has been met with an extraordinary response. At least 1.4 million people have viewed BBC Africa Eye's Twitter thread, which details how the team used forensic video analysis to pinpoint where and when the killings happened, as well as who was responsible. Politicians, journalists and influential TV personalities are among the 42,000 people who have retweeted it. The government of Cameroon initially dismissed the video as "fake news" but has since admitted that it has detained seven soldiers in connection with the killings.

South Africa says it is relaxing controversial travel rules that many believe have damaged the country’s vital tourism industry. The government – anxious to revive a struggling economy – says foreign families will no longer have to produce their children’s birth certificates. Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said the changes would be introduced in time for the December holidays. For the past four years, tourists trying to get into South Africa have been wrestling with an elaborate maze of red tape. The same for South African families trying to travel abroad. Passports were no longer enough. Children needed to produce their unabridged birth certificates. Both parents had to consent – in writing - to any travel. The authorities here insisted they were fighting child trafficking. But their data was dubious and the travel and tourism industries said the rules – and other visa restrictions - were destroying jobs and profits. Now, with the economy sliding into a recession, South Africa’s new President Cyril Ramaphosa, has ordered a rethink in order to boost tourism. That means more visas on arrival.

Verizon started 2012 with nearly 196,000 employees. It will end this year with less than 153,000 thanks to a fairly generous early retirement program it announced, the first of its kind in 13 years. The severance package includes three weeks of pay for each year of service and includes all management-level staff as well, but not front office sales reps. The deadline for acceptance is mid-November, and if you want in, phasing out the early retirees is likely to be finished by the middle of next year. The move is part of a broader cost-cutting effort that aims to save $10 billion, money that Verizon is going to need to build its 5G infrastructure as soon as possible. Most of the folks that Verizon laid out in the past few years have been from its landline and cable TV businesses, of course, and it reached an agreement with their union as recently as this July on further cuts and compensation. There has also been some downsizing at businesses it acquired, like merging Yahoo with AOL in the Oath conglomerate, for instance, plus the current early retirement push is not without precedent and is actually more generous than its previous such offers to employees.

Rights body Amnesty International has condemned recent arrests of thousands of people in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. It said the detentions "threaten a new era of human rights gains" under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Ethiopian authorities say that police had conducted a wave of arrests in the wake of recent ethnic violence between Oromos and other minority groups that left dozens dead in the capital and its Burayu suburb. News agency AFP reports, quoting a source, that 65 people had been killed in the violence. A total of of 3,200 people have been arrested, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported. Addis Ababa police chief Degfie Bedi said around 1,200 people believed to be involved in the fighting were detained, with charges filed against 107 suspects. A further 2,000 were arrested at casinos, shisha clubs and establishments where people chew the leafy khat narcotic stimulant, Fana said. Mr Degfie said those found not to have taken part in the violence would be released after receiving "training". Mr Abiy took power in April and has implemented several reforms including the freeing of dissidents and unbanning opposition groups including the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), that were formerly labelled terrorist organisations. Some of the exiled opposition leaders have been returning to Ethiopia.