All Africa
- Nigeria's new police chief vows crackdown on corruptionNigeria's acting inspector general Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar admits that Nigerian police have committed extrajudicial killings and run criminal rackets. That will change, he says.
Will President Wade push Senegal toward an uprising?Abdoulaye Wade's bid for a third term as Senegal's president has raised the possibility of a popular uprising or violence in a country previously seen as one of Africa's greatest success stories.聽- Rumblings of renewed militancy continue in Bayelsa, NigeriaThe violence seen in the lead-up to the gubernatorial election could be just the beginning of trouble in the Niger Delta, says guest blogger Alex Thurston.
Why Ethiopia's authoritarian style gets a Western nodEthiopia is a geostrategically important ally in the West's efforts to battle extremism in the Horn of Africa. Western leaders have also emphasized its progress in battling poverty.
Rapper 50 Cent joins battle against Somali hungerThe multimillionaire rap star 50 Cent took a tour of a displacement camp inside Somalia to raise awareness on hunger. Does it help when celebrities do good?
Nigeria: is the recent oil violence connected to upcoming elections?Group known for bombing oil pipelines has allegedly returned to the Niger Delta, just in time for Saturday's gubernatorial elections in President Goodluck Jonathan's home state.- Batwing: an African superhero for an American audienceBatwing is an AIDS orphan and a former child soldier. Guest blogger Sipho Hlongwane says DC Comics's latest character is believable, but Africans seek a hero who reforms system from within.聽
Nokia publishes policy on African conflict mineralsNokia says it will not buy mineral products that benefit armed groups or those engaging in human rights abuses. Guest blogger Curt Hopkins asks how they will implement their policy.聽
Somalia's Al Shabab launches suicide attack ahead of talksCar bomb kills 15 in the government-controlled center of Mogadishu just weeks before Somali officials attend a London conference on long-term solutions to country's unrest.- Mozambique takes first step against backroom abortionsMozambique's legislature is expected to pass a bill to legalize abortions in March in an effort to reduce the country's high rate of unsafe backroom abortions.聽
Fiery South African youth leader suspended, but the fire remainsSuspension of ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema may soothe South Africa's political and economic elites. But guest blogger Zama Ndlovu says youths won't remain silent.聽
Senegalese opposition denounce president's bid for third termAt a joint rally Sunday, 8 of 13 opposition candidates, including singer Youssou N'Dour, challenge President Abdoulaye Wade, after period of violent protests.聽- South Africa's cautious UN vote for Syrian actionWhile Russia and China vetoed a UN resolution calling for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to step down, South Africa voted for the measure. But it voices qualms on foreign intervention.聽
- Democracy in sub-Saharan Africa: once rising, now stumblesDemocratic setbacks in sub-Saharan Africa have outpaced once promising gains, says guest blogger Vukasin Petrovic from Freedom House.
- With oil pipeline attack, Niger Delta rebels announce returnAfter a year long truce, Niger Delta rebel group MEND launched an attack on an oil pipeline. MEND's attacks come as Nigeria's military is struggling with the Islamist Boko Haram movement in the north.
Famine ends in Somalia, as drought looms in West AfricaAid groups say that improved harvests and food donations have ended risk of starvation, but warn that ongoing war in Somalia could still reverse gains made.聽- Sahel Blog: Tuareg rebellion in Mali's north sparks protests in SouthGuest blogger Alex Thurston says the anger follows setbacks for Mali's Army at hand of well-armed Tuareg rebels. Could we see citizen backlash against ethnic Tuaregs?
- Can you hear me now? Nigeria arrests Boko Haram spokesman.Nigerian security sources say they traced the Boko Haram spokesman Abu Qa Qa by tracing his cellphone calls, a tactic also used to track down Osama Bin Laden.
- Africa asks itself: Where is the aid money?African nations pledged five months ago to do more to help each other when famine and disaster strike. But so far, they haven't come up with the promised cash.
- Wave of arrests in Sudan targets nonviolent student activistsSudan's National Intelligence and Security Services arrested at least nine peaceful student protesters in Khartoum last week, and the government has yet to acknowledge the arrests, reports guest blogger Tracy Fehr.