All Africa
As Ethiopia looks beyond strongman Meles, fears of instabilityEthiopia was an economic success story under Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died Monday. His two-decade authoritarian grip may complicate a peaceful political transition.
Nigerian government enters talks with Boko HaramThe Islamist militant group has killed thousands in its rebellion against the Nigerian government. Nigerians are hopeful that negotiations will bring a respite from the violence.
With death of Ethiopian leader Meles, US loses an anti-terror allyEthiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died yesterday, was one of the US's closest allies on the continent, particularly when it came to efforts to combat Somali Islamists.
Progress WatchIn Somalia, optimism risesOne year after the ouster of the Islamist militia, the capital city prospers. But Al Shabab remains a threat.- China's role in funding Ethiopian dam draws ireEthiopia says construction of a dam along the Omo River will create needed electrical power for itself and Kenya, and channel water for food production. Environmentalists worry it could drain a Kenyan desert lake central to people's livelihoods.
For Somali pirates, July was a very bad monthPrivate guards and international naval patrols 鈥� and some rough seas 鈥� have prevented successful high-seas hijackings by Somali pirates since June 19, the first zero-attack month since 2007.- Nigerian 海角大神s vent frustration after another church attack海角大神 leaders in Nigeria's restive north say they may have to 'rise up' to protect themselves, and southern insurgents offer to cut off the north from food and other supplies.聽
FocusSudan's struggling government offers to go '100 percent Islamic'The government faces new pressures from the loss of territory and oil revenue to South Sudan, but the push for an Islamic constitution has much older roots.聽
FocusSudanese factory destroyed by US now a shrinePresident Bill Clinton ordered a cruise missile strike on the pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum in 1998; the Sudanese still haven't forgotten.- Kenya: Tribunal finds a top judge is not above the lawNancy Baraza, Kenya's deputy chief justice, was found guilty of 'gross misconduct.' Her case could set a precedent of reducing impunity for Kenyan government officials.
Why Somalis aren't benefiting from rollback of IslamistsThe past year's offensive against Islamist militia Al Shabab should have opened territory for aid groups to operate in. But security and funding shortages remain problems.
In Somali capital, a year without Islamist militiaOne year after the forced departure of Islamist militia Al Shabab, Mogadishu is rebuilding and prospering. But residents worry the group may return.- Mali, Shari'a, and the MediaReporting tends to portray Islamic Sharia law as barbaric. Guest blogger Alex Thurston writes that this tendency hinders a chance to understand countries like Mali in their complexity.
With draft constitution, Somalia draws closer to democracySomalia has lacked a working government since 1991, when its last elected government collapsed. Its newest draft constitution puts it on a path toward elections and legitimacy.
Lions in Nairobi? A new suburban problemOn the outskirts of Kenya's capital city, stray lions from Nairobi National Park have begun to prey on domestic herds. Masai herdsmen threaten to take action if the government doesn't.聽- Will Ethiopian crackdown stir Islamist backlash?Peaceful protests continue in Addis Ababa this week among Muslims angry over what they see as Ethiopian government interference. The government sees foreign extremist threat.
A year after freedom, South Sudanese languish up northConflict and poverty stand in the way of perhaps 40,000 South Sudanese whose bags were packed a year ago but are now stranded in squatter camps of the north.
After death of Ghana's president, a calm transitionAfter the death of President John Evans Atta Mills, Ghana peacefully transferred power to its vice president 鈥� a reminder that not all political transitions in West Africa are violent.- If all goes well, Somalia soon may have a governmentSeen by World Bank and UN monitoring group as 'corrupt' and 'incompetent,' Somalia's interim government has a deadline within a month to transition to a permanent government.
African Union gets a South African leader, lending the group heftObservers hope that the long-deadlocked African Union will wield more influence with the economic and political power of South Africa behind it.
