BBC News, with Nick Kelly.
The World Health Organization says the first confirmed Ebola patient in Mali traveled by bus throughout the country while showing symptoms of the disease. The WHO said the girl, aged 2, was bleeding through the nose and may have infected many other people. BBC Africa’s health correspondent Ansoy has this report.
“The child’s grandmother had gone to Guinea to attend a funeral, believed to be of the toddler’s mother who had been displaying symptoms of Ebola. The elderly woman then took the child to her back to Mali 5 days ago. The long journey took them to the capital Bamako, then to the western region of Kayes where the little girl’s condition deteriorated. She had a nose bleed and blood in heart too. It then took 3 days to get results for the Ebola test. More than 40 people, including 10 health workers, are now in quarantine in Kayes. But it tends to trace people who may have come into close contact to the patient while in transit would prove challenging.”
News just in. The authorities in Mali have said the 2 year old girl who has been confirmed as the country’s first Ebola patient has died. The news was announced on Malian television and was confirmed to the BBC by the director of the hospital where she was being treated.
A car bomb in Egypt Sinai peninsula has killed at least 31 soldiers. Egyptian security forces said more than 20 others were wounded by the bomb hit an army check point. In a separate attack, gunmen are reported to have killed 3 more men of this security forces at another checkpoint in the Sinai.
“Egypt is in mourning with state television carrying black ribbons on screen after the latest heavy losses in the lawless Sinai peninsula. Communications with the area have been cut and helicopters and special forces are searching for militant hideouts. That’s nothing new. For more than a year, the army has been engaged in a large scale of offensive against insurgent there, but has been unable to contain the violence. Militant attacks spiraled after the military ousted the Islamist president Muhammud Mossi in July of last year.”
Police in the US state of Washington says a student has opened fire at a high school near Seattle, killing at least another student before taking his own life. Peter Bowes has the details.
“The shooting happened at the Mary’s Field P high school which is about 30 miles north of Seattle. A student is believed to have opened fire in the school’s cafeteria before killing himself. Three people are in a critical condition in a local hospital. A number of others were treated for non-life threatening injuries. The school remains in lockdown as the police searched the building room by room to make sure it’s safe. No details have been revealed about the gunman or the person who was killed. In social media, many students have described chaotic scenes as the events unfolded.”
World News from the BBC.
The United States has just carried out 6 air strikes in and around the Syrian town of Kobani in the past 2 days to help Kurdish fighters battle Islamic States militants. The air strikes have enabled the Kurds to retake the strategic hill near Kobani which IS have taken control of earlier this week. The Turkish governments says hundred of Syrian rebel fighters have prepared to reinforce the Kurds, defending Kobani.
The United States is investigating a report that Islamic State militants used poison gas against Iraqi police officers last month. The Washington Post newspaper said on Friday that the officers have been rushed to hospital, suffering from dizziness, vomiting and shortage of breath. Symptoms consistent with chloro-poisoning. Iraqi forces have reported 2 similar attacks.
A computer scientist in the United States has broken the world’s altitude record for a free fall parachute jump that was set 2 years ago. Alan Eustace, a senior vice-president at Google jumped from a massive helium ballon more than 40 kilometers above the earth. From Los Angels, David William reports.
Wearing a specially designed space suit, Alan Eustace was lifted off an abundant airport runway in New Mexico by a ballon filled with helium. Over the cost of the next 2 hours, the ballon has sent him to a height of more than 40 kilometers above the earth. Then came time to cut himself lose, descent with rather more rapid, 15 minutes from start to finish, at times clocking speeds of more than 1300 km/h, setting off a small sonic bomb in the process as he passed the speed of sound.
Israeli soldiers have shot dead a Palestinian teenager during clashes in the west bank. The army said he was shot off through a patrol bomb at traffic on the road in the area. Earlier, Israeli security forces clashed with Palestinian demonstrators in Jerusalem after 5-day prayers.