Sarah Carter
Debora Patta is a foreign correspondent for CBS News. She is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and has been with CBS since 2013. Patta has reported on major stories throughout Africa, including the rise of and deadly rampage across northern Nigeria by the Boko Haram group, which abducted and likely still has hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls in captivity. She also traveled to Liberia to cover the deadly Ebola outbreak -- an assignment that tested her sense of security in a new way. Patta says she has always “been drawn to stories that expose injustice, that highlight pain and suffering.” But covering those stories often comes with risks. That can be especially difficult as a mother, Patta said, because of other people’s perceptions of what women in that role should and should not do. Before she joined CBS News, Patta hosted a popular investigative TV show in South Africa for 13 years called “Third Degree,” which earned a reputation for holding those in positions of power to account and asking the tough questions nobody wanted to answer. Sarah Carter, who covers Africa for CBS News together with Patta, joined the company in 1997 and is also based in Johannesburg. Carter’s reporting for CBS News and “60 Minutes” has earned her a Peabody and numerous other wards. “Debora and I have known each other since 1994 and have five daughters between us of a similar age. It gives us a lot of common ground and interests,” says Carter, adding that it seems “ironic” the pair only began working together more recently given their “similar interests and passion for our stories.” Reporting on the missing Nigerian schoolgirls has been particularly close to Carter’s heart, as she has daughters the same age as the girls who disappeared. Patta and Carter interviewed a masked Boko Haram militant in Nigeria in May last year about the kidnapped girls, while Carter’s daughters were holding protest signs with other children in front of their school, demanding the girls’ safe return. Patta and Carter are committed to finding more information on the missing girls and have looked these parents in the eye who are begging for any help whatsoever to find their children.
80%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
87%
Examples:
- Almost every minute, an African child dies with malaria
- children under 5 make up about 80% of deaths from malaria in Africa
- The continent bears the brunt of the mosquito-borne disease
Conflicts of Interest
75%
Examples:
No current examples available.
Contradictions
91%
Examples:
- Cameroon recorded more than 6m cases in 2022 and malaria accounted for 12% of deaths among children under five in 2021.
- more than a dozen hotels, lodges and camps were flooded
- The RTS,S/AS01 vaccine prevents half of malaria cases in the year after vaccination. It does not stop transmission of the disease.
Deceptions
75%
Examples:
- The first sentence states that the malaria parasite spreads to people bitten by infected mosquitoes which is partially accurate but fails to mention other modes of transmission.
- The second paragraph states that 95% of fatal cases recorded every year in Africa are children under the age of 5 who make up about 80% of those deaths. However, this statement does not take into account other factors such as malnutrition and access to healthcare which can contribute to higher mortality rates among children with malaria.
- The third paragraph states that the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine prevents half of malaria cases in the year after vaccination but fails to mention that both vaccines prevent only a portion of severe disease and do not stop transmission entirely.
Recent Articles
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Broke On: Monday, 15 July 2024In Nairobi's Mukuru Kwa Njenga slum, 42 women's bodies have been discovered at the Kware dumpsite since 2022. A prime suspect, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, confessed to the crimes and was arrested with items linked to them. Protests against police involvement in unlawful arrests and a cost-of-living crisis have followed. Serial Killer Confesses to Murdering 42 Women in Nairobi's Mukuru Kwa Njenga Slum: Latest Victim Identified, Suspect Arrested
Broke On: Monday, 15 July 2024In Nairobi's Mukuru Kwa Njenga slum, 42 women's bodies have been discovered at the Kware dumpsite since 2022. A prime suspect, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, confessed to the crimes and was arrested with items linked to them. Protests against police involvement in unlawful arrests and a cost-of-living crisis have followed. 
Malawi Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and Wife Among 10 Killed in Plane Crash, Nation Mourns
Broke On: Monday, 10 June 2024On June 10, 2024, Malawi Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and nine others, including his wife Mary Chilima, were killed when their military aircraft crashed in the Chikangawa mountain range during a flight from Lilongwe to Mzuzu airport. The sudden loss of the prominent figure has left Malawi mourning and preparing for a national day of mourning. Investigations continue into the cause of the crash, and Malawi's government must also find Chilima's successor in light of upcoming elections. Massive Flooding in Kenya: Dozens Evacuated from Maasai Mara Reserve, Over 170 Dead Nationwide
Broke On: Wednesday, 01 May 2024Heavy rains and flooding forced the evacuation of over 90 tourists from Kenya's Maasai Mara national reserve on May 1, 2024. More than a dozen hotels, lodges, and camps were submerged after a river broke its banks. The floodwaters also caused significant damage and loss of life in other parts of Kenya, with over 170 deaths reported since mid-March. President William Ruto ordered military assistance for search and rescue efforts as locals reported a lack of equipment to dig through debris. 
Cameroon Launches World's First Routine Malaria Vaccination Program Using RTS,S/AS01 Vaccine
Broke On: Tuesday, 23 January 2024Cameroon launches world's first routine malaria vaccine for infants, aiming to prevent half of cases in the first year. The RTS,S/AS01 vaccine is part of a global effort to curb Africa's 95% share of malaria deaths and will be offered free to 3 million children over two years.