Haso-Design Studio

More than two billion people could be at risk from Zika virus outbreaks in parts of Africa and Asia, according to scientists writing in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Populations in India, Indonesia and Nigeria are some of the most vulnerable to transmission, the researchers said. They used data on air traveller numbers to help model their predictions. However, they acknowledge that immunity to the virus could already exist in some areas and could reduce the risk. The research team, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Oxford University and the University of Toronto, Canada, said "vast numbers" of people were living in environments where it would be hard to prevent, detect and respond to the virus. They looked at factors such as the numbers of people who travelled from Zika-affected areas in South America to Africa and Asia, the presence of mosquitoes that can pass on the virus, and the climate in the regions to assess which countries could...

Two people have been killed in overnight clashes between demonstrators and security forces in Gabon's capital Libreville after disputed elections. The deaths bring the number killed to five following a   second day of violence. Security forces in Gabon have arrested more than 1,000 people since the presidential vote. Protests began after Wednesday's announcement that President Ali Bongo had narrowly been re-elected. Africa Live: More on this and other African news stories Too many voters? By Elizabeth Blunt, former BBC journalist and election observer You never get a 98% or 99% turnout in an honest election. You just don't. Voting is compulsory in Gabon, but it is not enforced; even in Australia where it is enforced, where you can vote by post or online and can be fined for not voting, turnout only reaches 90-95%. The main reason that a full turnout is practically impossible is that electoral registers, even if they are recently compiled, can rarely...