JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is putting off thousands of tourists who had planned trips to Africa this year, especially Asians, including to destinations thousands of miles from the nearest infected community such as Kenya and South Africa.

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo has sent its health minister and a team of experts to the remote northern Equateur province after several people died there from a disease with Ebola-like symptoms, a local official and a professor said on Wednesday.

MONROVIA (Reuters) - Police in the Liberian capital Monrovia fired tear gas on Wednesday to disperse a stone-throwing crowd agitating to leave a neighbourhood placed under quarantine because of the Ebola virus, witnesses said.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Four beheaded corpses were found by residents of a town in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday, security sources said, blaming Islamist militants waging an insurgency against Cairo.

YOLA Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria's former anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu has defected to the ruling People's Democratic Party to contest a state election, in a filip for President Goodluck Jonathan, whose PDP has been reeling from high profile corruption scandals.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's foreign minister pressed his South Sudan counterpart over renewed violence in the oil-rich state, demanding an immediate ceasefire and political dialogue in the country which is heavily reliant on Chinese investment.

YAOUNDE (Reuters) - Cameroon has closed all its borders with Nigeria in a bid to halt the spread of the Ebola virus, state radio said on Tuesday.

NAIROBI, Aug 20 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Wednesday. - - - - - GLOBAL MARKETS Asian stocks were steady on Wednesday after strong U.S. housing data lifted Wall Street shares, helping nudge Treasury yields higher and keeping the dollar well bid against the euro and yen. WORLD OIL PRICES Brent crude futures steadied near 14-month lows above

DUBAI, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Impressive displays by Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan and Emirati midfielder Omar Abdulrahman helped put Al Ain in control of their AFC Champions League quarter-final following a 2-0 first leg home win over Al Ittihad on Tuesday.

MONROVIA/GENEVA (Reuters) - Liberia battled on Tuesday to halt the spread of the Ebola disease in its crowded, run-down oceanside capital Monrovia, recording the most new deaths as fatalities from the world's worst outbreak of the deadly virus rose above 1,200.