Daily News on Issues Affecting Africa for November 5, 2014

Continue reading for a summary of recent news stories relating to some of the most pressing issues on the continent. We draw on a wide range of respected news sources, both from Africa itself and around the world. The themes of today's In the News post are: whispers of secession in Nigeria, Eskom controversies in SA, Tanzania's low fuel prices, more in Pistorius, business between Malawi, Tanzania, Ghana and South Africa, African leaders in talks in Burkina Faso, and the worsening situation in Sierra Leone.

Nigeria: Boko Haram seizes major town, eyes secession

Nigerian terrorist group, Boko Haram has seized, and renamed the second largest town in the northern state of Adamawa.

The Islamist sect displaced the government of the town, and residents in what appears to be an attempt to secede.They renamed the city of Mubi to 'Madinatul Islam', which means the city of Islam.

To read more from the Africa Report, click here.

Prosecutors Seek Appeal of Rulings on Pistorius

Starting a new phase in a case that captivated a global audience, South African state prosecutors began legal proceedings on Tuesday to appeal the conviction and what they called the "shockingly light" sentence handed down to the track star Oscar Pistorius last month for killing his girlfriend.

Mr. Pistorius was acquitted of murder charges but convicted on a lesser charge of culpable homicide, equivalent to manslaughter, and sentenced to five years in prison. South African law calls for him to serve at least 10 months of the sentence in prison before he can be released to house arrest.

To read more from New York Times, click here.

Eskom executives get record salaries, rest of SA gets load shedding: DA

"Eskom paid its top executives a total of R60 million in the 2014 financial year, up from R57.4m the year before," Democratic Alliance MP Natasha Michael said in a statement.

"With nine members on Eskom's executive committee it is shocking that R24.4m was paid to three individuals — the CEO, the financial director, and the operations director."

To read more from Times Live, click here.

Tanzania cuts fuel prices after import costs fall

Tanzania's energy regulator cut fuel prices on Wednesday after prices on the international market fell and the move is likely to further ease inflation in east Africa's second-biggest economy.

Inflation in Tanzania dipped to 6.6 percent in the year to September from 6.7 percent in August.

The state-run Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) cut the petrol price in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam by 0.66 percent to 2,178 shillings per litre, and diesel by 1.81 percent to 2,027 shillings.

To read more from The Africa Report, click here.

South Africa's Alexander Forbes considers deals in Malawi, Tanzania, Ghana

South African financial services advisory firm Alexander Forbes is considering potential acquisitions in several African countries including Ghana and Tanzania, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

Alexander Forbes, which mainly advises and administers pension and investment funds, sold its risk services business in 2011, effectively exiting Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.The company is now looking to re-enter Tanzania and Malawi and is also eyeing Ghana, all English-speaking countries. It is not interested in a return to Portuguese-speaking Mozambique, Chief Executive Edward Kieswetter said, adding he was only keen on countries implementing pension sector reforms.

To read more from Reuters Africa, click here.

Ebola outbreak in Koinadugu, Sierra Leone, prompts call for help from chief

The leader of a remote chiefdom in Sierra Leone has called for urgent help to contain the disease, which is causing fear and panic in his community.

The new outbreak of Ebola in Koinadugu, a district previously unaffected by the virus, has now affected more than 60 people in a small chiefdom close to Guinea, the Red Cross has said.

The head of Sierra Leone's Red Cross team, John Mara, told the Guardian that at least 25 people have died and 38 people are believed to be infected after lab results proved positive for 15 more patients. Two of those buried had died on Tuesday. One was a seven-year-old girl.

To read more from The Guardian, click here.

Burkina Faso crisis: African leaders in army handover talks

The presidents of Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal are visiting Burkina Faso to press the military for a speedy handover of power to a civilian ruler.

The African Union (AU) says the army acted unconstitutionally when it took over after President Blaise Compaore was forced to resign on Friday.

The AU on Monday gave the army a two-week deadline. Interim leader Lt Col Isaac Zida later promised to comply.

To read more from BBC News, click here.