A teacher at a school in the north-western Zamfara state tells the BBC at least 300 girls were taken.
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Biden raises human rights in call with Saudi king
The murder of exiled Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 still overshadows US-Saudi relations.
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Biden raises human rights in call with Saudi king
The murder of exiled Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 still overshadows US-Saudi relations.

Hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls feared kidnapped
A teacher at a school in the north-western Zamfara state tells the BBC at least 300 girls were taken.

Biden approves air strike on Iran-backed militias
The strike in Syria follows attacks on US personnel in Iraq and is Joe Biden's first military action.

How a massacre in Ethiopia’s sacred city unfolded
Eritrean troops killed hundreds in Aksum in Ethiopia's Tigray region, witnesses tell Amnesty and the BBC.

Ex-US Olympics coach found dead after sex charges
John Geddert, who headed the 2012 US women's gymnastics team, took his own life, officials say.

Australian police find missing fraud suspect's foot
The disappearance of Melissa Caddick - who is accused of stealing from investors - has flummoxed police.

Russians leave North Korea on hand-pushed trolley
The diplomats had no choice as Pyongyang has banned trains from leaving as part of Covid measures.
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Biden raises human rights in call with Saudi king
The murder of exiled Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 still overshadows US-Saudi relations.

Hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls feared kidnapped
A teacher at a school in the north-western Zamfara state tells the BBC at least 300 girls were taken.

Biden approves air strike on Iran-backed militias
The strike in Syria follows attacks on US personnel in Iraq and is Joe Biden's first military action.

How a massacre in Ethiopia’s sacred city unfolded
Eritrean troops killed hundreds in Aksum in Ethiopia's Tigray region, witnesses tell Amnesty and the BBC.

Ex-US Olympics coach found dead after sex charges
John Geddert, who headed the 2012 US women's gymnastics team, took his own life, officials say.

Australian police find missing fraud suspect's foot
The disappearance of Melissa Caddick - who is accused of stealing from investors - has flummoxed police.

Russians leave North Korea on hand-pushed trolley
The diplomats had no choice as Pyongyang has banned trains from leaving as part of Covid measures.

Hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls feared kidnapped
A teacher at a school in the north-western Zamfara state tells the BBC at least 300 girls were taken.

Biden approves air strike on Iran-backed militias
The strike in Syria follows attacks on US personnel in Iraq and is Joe Biden's first military action.

How a massacre in Ethiopia’s sacred city unfolded
Eritrean troops killed hundreds in Aksum in Ethiopia's Tigray region, witnesses tell Amnesty and the BBC.
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Tigray: Amnesty International describes massacre in Aksum
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Video caption: It reports on killings in November in the sacred city in Ethiopia, involving Eritrea It reports on war crimes in November in the sacred city in Ethiopia. Eritrean troops are accused of killing hundreds of civilians.
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Video caption: 'My mum will be there watching me' Mali denies reports of minister's kidnap
Copyright: EPAImage caption: Col Ismael Wague is among military personnel holding ministerial posts The government in Mali has denied reports that its minister for reconciliation had been kidnapped, according to local media.
Col Ismael Wague was reported to have been kidnapped on the Badiangara axis in the central Mopti region.
A statement from the ministry is quoted as saying the reports were spread by people opposed to the peace process.
Col Wague was last year presented as the spokesman of a group of soldiers who overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.
The military junta was dissolved in January 2021 but senior military personnel still hold several key posts in a 25-member transitional government.
By Jack Skelton
BBC Sport
BreakingHundreds of schoolgirls feared kidnapped in Nigeria
Is’haq Khalid
BBC News, Abuja
Copyright: BBCReports from Nigeria's north-western state of Zamfara say gunmen abducted hundreds of girls from a boarding secondary school in the early hours of Friday in the town of Jangebe.
A parent and a teacher who was in the school during the attack told the BBC that more than 300 students are believed to have been kidnapped.
Police in Zamfara state have yet to comment.
Caterpillars devour crops in Mozambique
Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo
The authorities in the central Mozambican province of Zambezia say corn fennel caterpillars have destroyed some 143 hectares of crop.
At least 60 peasant families have complained of damage in the district of Mocuba.
Local official Florentino Cardoso said farmers had been told to spray their farms with insecticides and to use other mechanical means to combat the pests.
The district government is already on the ground to deal with the situation that threatens to jeopardise corn production.
The corn fennel caterpillar is a pest whose main host is the maize crop.
By Brian Meechan
BBC News
US raises human rights with Saudi Arabia
Video content
Video caption: A friend of the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi gives his reaction A friend of the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi gives his reaction.
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Video caption: Russians cheer as they exit North Korea on hand-pushed trolley The diplomats had no choice as Pyongyang has banned trains from leaving as part of Covid measures.
Kenya to receive first batch of Covid vaccine doses
Copyright: Getty ImagesImage caption: Kenya has more than 100,000 coronavirus cases Kenya will receive its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines next week, the cabinet has said.
Front line health workers, security officers, teachers and vulnerable groups will be vaccinated first.
The government has not detailed which particular vaccine it is acquiring.
The health ministry had early this month said it had sequenced the AstraZeneca vaccine and approved it for use in the country.
Kenya has so far confirmed 105,057 cases of coronavirus, according to data from the health ministry.
Somali opposition postpone anti-government protests
Copyright: EPAImage caption: Last week's protests were met with government gunfire Somali opposition presidential candidates have agreed to postpone anti-government protests that were scheduled for Friday in the capital, Mogadishu.
This follows a meeting with Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble on Thursday where the federal government apologised for last week's crackdown on protesters.
The postponed demonstration will take place within 10 days, according to a statement.
The government guaranteed to uphold the right of citizens to organise and participate in peaceful demonstrations.
The leaders in the meeting also agreed to continue with talks to unlock a stalemate on how to proceed with elections.
Last week, opposition leaders defied a ban on public gatherings to protest against delayed elections.
The first term of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo ended on 8 February without the election of a successor - throwing the country into a crisis.
The UN mission in Somalia has welcomed Thursday's agreement between the government and the opposition.
Biden discusses Tigray crisis with Kenyan leader
Copyright: Getty ImagesImage caption: About two million people have been displaced by the conflict US President Joe Biden has discussed the crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray region with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in a phone call on Thursday, the White House said.
The two leaders discussed the "deteriorating humanitarian and human rights crises" in Tigray, according to the readout of the call.
They also spoke on the "need to prevent further loss of life and ensure humanitarian access".
Tigray has been hit by conflict since November between Ethiopian-led troops and forces allied with the region's ousted ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Thousands of people are reported to have been killed, and about two million have been internally displaced.
The International Committee of the Red Cross this week warned that the need for humanitarian aid was "overwhelming".
The White House said that President Biden emphasised the US’s commitment to working with Kenya to support regional peace and security.
More on the Tigray crisis:
By Justin Harper
Business reporter, BBC News