* Despite stabilisation, several states still debt distressed

GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights office called on Egypt on Friday to free a prominent blogger, lawyer and journalist allegedly mistreated in custody who are among nearly 2,000 people detained since street protests began a month ago.

(Reuters) - Merck & Co's vaccine for the Ebola virus received recommendation of approval from a panel of the European drugs regulator on Friday, taking it a step closer in becoming the first vaccine to be officially sanctioned for the rare and deadly disease.

BUTEMBO, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Arlette Kavugho was discharged from an Ebola ward in eastern Congo in March, but her troubles did not end there.

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a close audit of the government organization set up in 2000 to develop the oil-rich but stubbornly poor Niger Delta region.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa is set to experience power cuts for a third day on Friday, with deeper power cuts expected than previously anticipated after utility Eskom lost more generation capacity.