Tunisia: Index Ranks Country Most Prosperous Country in North Africa
Tunisia was ranked respectively first in North Africa, third in the Arab world and fourth in Africa by the 2009 edition of the UK based Legatum Prosperity Index. Tunisia is ranked 68 th in the world, preceding China, Russia, and Turkey.

Western Sahara: 'Release Human Rights Activists,' AU Body Tells Morocco
A majority of sixty-eight members of the Pan- African Parliament (PAP) have adopted the motion to exert pressure on the government of the Kingdom of Morocco to release the seven human rights activists that were "abducted upon their return from visiting their families in the Saharawi refugee camps."

Egypt: President Kagame Visits Egypt
President Paul Kagame yesterday met and held talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Hosni Mubarak as part of his ongoing visit to the northern African country.

Algeria/Tunisia: Women's Soccer Team Beats Algeria 1-0
Tunisia's National women's Soccer team defeated Algeria (1-0) following a Day 2 game played on Wednesday at a Women's Soccer Tournament held by the North African Football Union (NAFU) .

East Africa: Egypt Speaks Out On River Nile Disagreement
The Egyptian government yesterday said it was ready to cooperate with other eight countries under Nile Basin to resolve their disagreements on the usage and access of River Nile water.

Tunisia: President Ben Ali to Preside Over Ceremony Marking 22nd Anniversary of the Change
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is chairing Saturday November 7th, 2009, a ceremony marking the 22nd Anniversary of the Change, it was announced by the Official Spokesman for the Presidency.

Tunisia: Sousse Hosts Comic Arts Workshop
As part of the celebration of Tunisian theater centenary, the M'hamed Maarouf Sousse cultural center is hosting from November 4 to 7, 2009 the 7th edition of Hadramaut Comic arts workshop.

Tunisia: Country Takes Part in 2009 World Science Forum in Budapest
Tunisia is currently taking part in the 4th edition of the World Science Forum, the international conference series on global science policy, under the theme "Knowledge and Future" which runs from November 5 to 7, 2009 in Budapest, Hungary.

Tunisia: Pioneer Oil Production Increases by 13 Percent
The Us energy Company, Pioneer has announced that its daily production in Tunisia has increased by 13% to average 7,000 Barrels of Oil Equivalents Per Day (MBOEPD) during the first nine months of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.

Gambia: Local Journalist Leaves for Journalism Training in Egypt
Mr Ismaila Naban has been chosen for the 34th training course for Young African

Tunisia: More Messages to President Ben Ali From Components of Civil Society
President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali received more congratulatory messages from national organisations and associations, on his brilliant victory in the presidential elections.

Tunisia: MDS Politburo Hails Head of State's Re-Election to Presidency of the Republic
Socialist Democrats Movement (MDS) secretary-general Ismail Boulehia underlined the pride the party takes in the Tunisian people's overwhelming majority vote for President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali's re-election for a new term.

Tunisia: 'Palmair' Starts Flights to Tunisia From Exeter
With the signing by Tunisia of the open skies agreement, a number of international low-cost airline companies have started operating services towards major Tunisian airports.

Tunisia: Major French Wine Producer Will Soon Market Wine
According to the Tunisian business site "African Manager", the number one French wine making group "Castel", will soon commercialize Tunisian wine.

Tunisia: Implementation of Second Phase of Program to Promote Popular Districts
During a meeting held on November 2, 2009 between President Ben Ali and the Prime Minister, the Head of State recommended to enhance the effectiveness of the 2nd phase of the program to promote popular districts.

Libya: "Sevenair" Launches New Service Between Djerba and Tripoli
With a view to making the island of Djerba more attractive to Libyan tourists, the Tunisian airline company "Sevenair" is launching as of today a new service involving two flights per week between Djerba and the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

Tunisia: Tunisair and SNCFT Join National Spin-Off Program
On the occasion of the creation of spin-off projects by Tunisair, the Tunisia's flag carrier, and Tunisian National Railways (SNCFT), two agreements were penned on Wednesday in Tunis between Mr. Abderrahim Zouari, Minister of Transport and Mr. Afif Chelbi, Minister of Industry, Energy and small and medium enterprises, Mr. Nabil Chettaoui, president and CEO of Tunisair and Néjib Fitouri, SNCFT's CEO.

Tunisia: Exports to Arab and African Countries Soar By 19,5 Percent
According to the executive staff of the Tunisian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), Tunisian exports to the Arab and African countries posted an increase of 19.5% worth 803 billion dinars during the first 9 months of 2009, against 672 billion dinars in 2008.

Morocco: Vaceslav Shrugs Off Morocco Interest
RWANDA'S national basketball team head coach is ready to commit his future to Rwanda despite being linked with a possible move to Morocco.

Morocco/Cameroon: General Mobilisation to Spur Lions to Victory
Free tickets and transportation have been provided for Cameroonians resident in Morocco.

South Africa: Minister Welcomes Arrest of Egyptians
Home Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has welcomed the arrest of three Egyptians at the department's office in Springs.

Uganda: We Did Not Block River Nile Deals - Egypt
EGYPT has never blocked Uganda from undertaking projects on the River Nile, the assistant foreign affairs minister, Mona Omar, has said.

Tunisia: Govt-Libyan Working Session At RCD Headquarters
A working session was held, on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) in Tunis, under chairmanship of Messrs. Mohamed Ghariani and Abdelkader Baghdadi, Co-ordinator General of the Libyan Revolutionary Committees' Movement, with attendance of delegations from the Rally and the Libyan Movement.

Tunisia: Speaker of Chamber of Deputies Holds Talks On Fringes of 21st RCD International Symposium
On the sidelines of the International Symposium of the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), held on November 2-3 in the capital city, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Foued Mebazaa had, on Tuesday, talks with several MPs who took part in the Symposium and delegations accompanying them.

Tunisia: President Ben Ali Receives Secretary General of Liberal Social Party
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali received, on Wednesday, Secretary-General of the Liberal Social Party (PSL), Mr. Mondher Thabet who said he had been honoured to meet the President of the Republic.

Tunisia: Head of State Receives Secretary General of Green Party for Progress
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali received, on Wednesday, Secretary-General of the Green Party for Progress (PVP) Mr. Mongi Khamassi who said that he had the honour to meet the Head of State who has constantly lent a receptive ear to all parties' opinions and approaches so as to strengthen the political reformist process and contribute to the success of the country's pluralistic and democratic experience.

Tunisia: Country Aims At Attracting Ten Million Tourists By 2014
One of the objectives of President Ben Ali's 2009-2014 electoral program is to reach 10 million tourist entries by 2014.

Tunisia: Country Plans to Increase Renewable Energy Capacity Fivefold
The climate change, high oil prices and a highly volatile energy market, have prompted Tunisian authorities to invest in renewable energies as a way of achieving sustainable development, as well as saving on expensive petrol imports.

Africa: UN Anti-Corruption Meeting Develops Worrisome Trend: Algerian NGO Blocked and a Gabonese Activist Faces Difficulties
The Algerian government is blocking attendance of an Algerian NGO from an upcoming UN anti-corruption summit. This is a deeply worrying development, according to the UNCAC Coalition, a group of over 200 organisations seeking implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).

Tunisia: Redayef - Damage Repairs Moving Swiftly
Following September's torrential rain, on the Governorate of Gafsa resulting in flash floods which have claimed the lives of 17 people and injured many in the locality of Redeyef, work is underway to repair damaged houses and build new ones.

AllAfrica News: North Africa
All Africa, All the Time.

 

The IFC and Incorporation of Rights into Its Performance Standards
A submission to the U.N. Special Representative to the Secretary General on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises, John Ruggie, highlights that the International Finance Corporation's performance standards, meant to serve as environmental and social safeguards in World Bank private sector lending, still lack substantive inclusion of human rights and are therefore inconsistent with Ruggie's framework. Furthermore, civil society has raised concerns about a 3 ye

Conference: Recovery towards what? Finance, justice, sustainability
Recovery towards what? Finance, justice, sustainability is an exciting and timely one-day conference on 6 November in London on all aspects of global finance and its role in both developed and developing countries. It brings together experts, researchers, practitioners and civil society to discuss how to reshape finance so that it contributes to a just and sustainable economy.

World Bank-IMF annual meetings 2009
Analysis, news, and about the events inside and around the World bank/IMF annual meetings 2009. This page is being updated regularly.

G20 remains vague on social impact measures, still fails to tackle fundamental reform
The G20 communiqué agreed at end September in Pittsburgh despite expressing concern about the impacts of the financial crisis on developing countries remained vague on some points, and still failed to address the needed radical overhaul of the international financial architecture.

Annual Meetings 2009: Communiqués coverage
Coverage of the communiqués from the G24, G7, IMFC and Development Committee at the 2008 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF.

IFIwatch.tv and Bretton Woods Project website support (Volunteer 2-3 days)
IFIwatch.tv and the Bretton Woods Project are seeking a volunteer to offer technical support to two websites that turn a critical eye towards the actions of international financial institutions. Deadline for applications: 5 pm local time Monday 26 October 2009. Although the position is unpaid, volunteers will be reimbursed for lunch and travel expenses.

Meeting on the World Bank between UK NGOs and Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for Internationa
Minutes of a meeting between Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, and UK NGOs, 16 September 2009

IMF advice paradox
During the last year, endowed with record funding and painted by the G20 as the 'saviour' of crisis-hit developing countries, the IMF has embarked on a public relations offensive to prove that it has changed its traditionally austere policy advice and conditions and has become 'more flexible'.

Helping farmers weather risks?
The World Bank has published several papers on its pilot programmes for index-related insurance in developing countries to hedge against weather-related risks. They vary from support for local insurance companies to weather derivatives sold in international financial markets. According the Bank, private insurance should be seen as supplemental to public intervention and other forms of support such as cooperatives. A September briefing from the Bretton Woods Project, however, faults the Bank for

Dollars, devaluations and depressions
The international monetary framework which emerged after the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in the 1970s has proved volatile, damaging and prone to crises. It is time for a fundamental redesign and the introduction of a global reserve currency, to help stabilise international exchange rates, smooth commodity prices, promote international economic cooperation, and prevent future financial crises.

The Byzantine governance of the IFIs
On August 28, in Bariloche, Argentina, the presidents of twelve South American countries met to discuss a life-or-death issue for their newly created Union of South American Nations (Unasur): the Colombian-US agreement allowing for extra-regional military to set up a chain of bases very close to the heart of the Amazon.

Concerns over IFC's upcoming performance standards review
The IFC has launched the three year review of their performance standards on social and environmental sustainability but civil society has raised concerns about the review and critiques remain with regard to the content of the standards.

Breaking the chains?
Violations of the IFC's performance standards in a palm oil project in Indonesia could have far reaching effects, drawing attention to the IFC's responsibility for the impact of whole supply chains as a review of their social and environmental standards gets under way.

Bank's approach to agriculture under fire
The World Bank and the IFC have committed to increase funding to agriculture to help tackle the food crisis, but their enthusiasm for agribusiness has been questioned by academics who suggest the benefits will not reach the hungry.

IFIs and Zimbabwe
The allocation of special drawing rights to Zimbabwe have stirred controversy about whether the country should use these to bolster its flagging public finances, while the fragile coalition government struggles with an external debt burden projected by the IMF to hit almost $7 billion by the end of the year.

Bretton Woods Project highlights
Critical voices on the World Bank and IMF

 

Michelle Obama: Honors After-School arts projects that inspire youth
In Muqqatum, a community on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, students at Alwan wa Awtar (Colors and Strings) can participate in a wide range of after-school and summer arts activities in the performing, visual and literary arts. In Campeche, Mexico, children with Down syndrome attend two dance workshops each week to learn traditional and contemporary dances at La Chácara Children's Culture Center. In China's Sichuan province, children from low-income families train in opera, dance and the visual arts at Green Path of Art, which provides its students with academic and financial assistance.

Egypt: US still opposed to Israeli settlements?
Unites States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton repeated that the Obama administration does not accept the legitimacy of Israeli West Bank settlements and wants to see the establishment of a Palestinian state with borders based on territory that Israel has occupied since 1967.

Morocco develops Solar Energy on a national scale
An ambitious solar power project, estimated at 9 billion dollars, was announced Monday by Benkhadra Amina, Moroccan Minister of Energy. President of the Moroccan-French energy and environment Association, Mohammed Garoum believes it "is a very welcome initiative".

Egypt-Algeria 2009 World Cup qualifiers: US$ 300,000 per player?
Egyptian football authorities are bent on leaving no stone unturned as they pamper their players with the hope of sailing through the 2010 World Cup qualifying match against the Algerian national team. The Egyptian federation has promised each player some US$ 300,000 if they win the crucial match scheduled for November 14.

Morocco: Press freedom "disappointingly absent from agenda" of visiting US Secretary of State
The International Press Institute (IPI) is disappointed at the apparent absence of deteriorating Moroccan press freedom from the agenda of a two-day visit to Morocco by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Egypt: "Internet Governance? Creating Opportunities for All"
Representatives of governments, international organizations, the Internet community, the private sector, civil society and the media will convene from 15 to 18 November 2009 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for the fourth meeting of the Internet Governance Forum on the theme of "Creating opportunities for all".

Egypt: Beyonce stirs political and religious debates ahead of concert
If there is one thing that could unite the muslims and Christians of Egypt, it is unlikely to be the raunchy dress style of American megastar and queen of bootylicious, Beyonce Knowles. Christian and Muslim fundamentalists are up in arms against her, describing her as “satanic.”

Middle East Peace Process: Hillary Clinton disappoints the Arab League
Hillary Clinton, U.S. secretary of state arrived Monday in Marrakech, Morocco, to meet ministers of the Arab League. Her agenda focuses on press freedom issues in Morocco. She will also touch on the peace process in the Middle East; an affair on which the Arab League and the United States are not seeing eye to eye, since Washington relaxed pressures to get Israel to freeze all settlements in the Palestinian territory.

Egypt's Al-Azhar Mosque in spotlight over niqab ban
Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo is one of the oldest and most respected Sunni religious institutions in the world. It works hard to uphold the image of Islam by supporting tolerance, urging Muslims to avoid extremism and rendering edicts on the proper behaviour for Muslims—such as respect for one's neighbours and the need to practice charity towards anyone in need. It also teaches the basic principles of coexistence that are entrenched in Islamic ideology and practice.

Western Sahara-Morocco: Poisoning the Well?
On 31st October, to mark the 34th anniversary of the occupation of Western Sahara, campaigners held a vigil outside the Moroccan embassy in London where they called for an end to the current crackdown on peaceful activists and the release of seven prominent human rights defenders currently imprisoned, awaiting sentence from a military court in Rabat. Their ‘crime' was to visit the refugee camps where around 165,000 Saharawi refugees have lived for three decades. The arrests have been condemned by politicians and human rights organisations around the world including Amnesty International.

Western Sahara: Parliamentary questions and vigil for 'the Casablanca Seven'
Over 40 campaigners converged on a canal in central London this week on Tuesday evening for a vigil calling for the immediate release of seven prominent Saharawi human rights activists arrested in Casablanca nearly two weeks ago.

Egypt: Let Israeli Breast Cancer Experts in
The American Jewish Committee urged the Egyptian government to allow a team of Israeli breast cancer researchers to enter the country for a major conference sponsored by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a leading breast cancer awareness group based in the U.S. The Israeli team was denied entry into Egypt earlier this week, despite having previously received the necessary clearances to attend the conference in Alexandria.

British MP's “running out of patience” on Western Sahara situation
Today in London, to mark the anniversary of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling on Western Sahara's right to self determination, a Saharawi Olympic athlete ran around Parliament Square thirty-four times: once for each year that the ruling has been ignored by Morocco. The runner, Salah Hmatou Amaidan, was joined for a lap by various MP's, academics and campaigners who were there also to express their concern for the safety of seven prominent human rights activists arrested in Casablanca last week.

UN Secretary-General Appoints Hany Abdel-Aziz of Egypt as Special Representative for Western Sahara
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Hany Abdel-Aziz of Egypt as his Special Representative for Western Sahara and the Head of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

UN urged to intercede on behalf of seven 'disappeared' Saharawi human rights advocates
Concerns are mounting over the safety of seven prominent Saharawi human rights advocates from Western Sahara who were arrested by Moroccan police at Casablanca airport on 8th October. The advocates were arrested when they touched down from after a visit to Saharawi refugee camps in the Algerian desert. They were taken away separately by Moroccan security forces. Neither their location nor the reason for their detention has been disclosed.

North Africa - Afrik.com : Africa and Maghreb's news - The panafrican daily newspaper
Afrik.com, Africa's portal offers a daily online newspaper with information on what is going on in the world, culture, economics, sport, societies of 56 african countries.

 

Sierra Leone's Youth: A Boon for Investment
As Sierra Leone continues to build its nation in the wake of civil war, the youth in the country are a valuable factor in continual improvement.

Shariah in Lawless Somalia
Shariah law comes in different forms, and if Somalia is to adopt a viable version of it, it must be a system that is accountable and takes care of its people.

Book Review: "The Candy Girl"
After a difficult childhood battling polio, Marcella Camara-Macauley studied early childhood education and has now written a children's book whose proceeds go to a worthy cause.

The Emerging Obama Doctrine on Africa
The Obama administration is making it clear to African nations that it intends to play an increasing role in Africa's development and governance.

Public Schools in Sierra Leone Gasping for Life Support
In the war-torn African nation of Sierra Leone, the public school system is crippled, ailing and corrupted by the government, affecting children, teachers and the nation as a whole.

China's Rise in Africa: Miracle or Mirage
Although China's burgeoning economic relationship with Africa is significant, many aspects of China's investment are being distorted and overlooked.

Minister Kanu Resolves Longstanding Corporate Feud
In mediating a resolution involving London Mining, African Minerals and the Government of Sierra Leone, Minister Kanu emerges as the shining star.

Making Roads Safer in Nigeria
Road conditions in Nigeria are horrendous, and the government needs to develop a comprehensive plan of action to keep Nigerians safe on the roadways.

U.S. Should Encourage Democracy in Africa
The United States wishes to respect the will of African people, but the tools of expression can be hard to reach without the declaration and enforcement of U.S. support.

The Youth in Sierra Leone
President Obama's speech in Ghana, directed at all of Africa, aligned with the objectives of the large population of young people in Sierra Leone.

Contemptuousness of Sub-Saharan Africa
The term

Road to Recovery: Provincial Towns in Sierra Leone
After living abroad for over a decade, a native of Sierra Leone returns to his homeland to see the differences incurred by an 11-year civil war.

Somalia, outside the Violence Box
If Somalia is to quell the religious extremism and violence that poisons its society, the government needs to develop a new paradigm of non-violence and cooperation.

Nigeria's Envy
Obama's recent visit to Ghana says much about the country's potential, but it may say even more about the country Obama chose not to visit.

African News from World Press Review
World News Review

 

ICC seeking speedy Kenya trials
The ICC's top prosecutor says perpetrators of Kenya's post-poll violence could face trial as early as next July.

DR Congo army 'used aid as bait'
The DR Congo army has been using measles vaccination clinics as "bait" to attack civilians, an aid agency says.

Madagascar rivals reach agreement
Madagascar's rival political leaders agree to form a power-sharing government after months of wrangling.

Somali adulterer stoned to death
Islamists in Somalia stone a man to death for adultery but spare his pregnant girlfriend until she gives birth.

Ivorian joy at Trafigura ruling
An Ivory Coast court rules that compensation to victims of waste dumping should not be paid to one man to distribute.

Turkey defends Sudan leader visit
President Abdullah Gul criticises the EU after it asks Turkey to reconsider an invitation to Sudan's president.

Spain resists deal with pirates
Spain resists pressure to free two Somalis accused of piracy in exchange for Spanish sailors held in Somalia.

Niger-Nigeria 'blockade' mystery
Nigeria is blocking Niger from importing goods, Niger's foreign affairs ministry confirms, but a reason is still unclear.

Zimbabwe's MDC calls off boycott
Zimbabwean PM Morgan Tsvangirai ends his party's boycott of the unity government with President Robert Mugabe.

Ugandan girls give birth and go straight back to school for exams
News two schoolgirls went into labour during exams, gave birth and continued with exams in the afternoon shocks Ugandans.

'Robin Hood' thief who handed out stolen money baffles SA police
South African police are baffled by a modern-day "Robin Hood" who dished out a portion of his takings to servants at a mansion he robbed.

Mazembe clinch Champs Lge title
DR Congo side TP Mazembe win the Champions League after beating Heartland of Nigeria 1-0 in to win the title on away goals rule.

Angola axe striker Manucho
Spain-based striker Manucho Goncalves will stay out of the Angola national team until he learns respect, says coach Manuel Jose.

Eto'o promises Mallorca return
Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o says Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola never told him why he was sold to Inter Milan.

Price of justice
What did war crimes court do for Sierra Leone?

In pictures
From water frolics to stuck in the mud in Africa's week

Aiming for riches
Why 10,000 Ugandans have gone to Iraq

Skin test
Undercover film exposes racism in Germany

African view
Why rape will not silence the women of Guinea

Pulling the strings
South Africa gets its first satire show... only on the web

SA mercenaries 'do not face jail'
Four South Africans convicted over an Equatorial Guinea coup plot will not be re-arrested when they return home, officials say.

Saudi lifts Somali livestock ban
Saudi Arabia ends a nine-year ban on the import of animals from Somalia - a major industry in the war-torn country.

SA chief goes in Semenya row
Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene is suspended over his handling of the Caster Semenya gender row.

Zimbabwe escapes diamond ban
Zimbabwe escapes suspension from the world diamond trade scheme over allegations of soldiers killing miners.

LRA rebel surrenders in Congo
Charles Arop, believed to be behind a brutal attack last Christmas, hands himself in to the Ugandan military.

Morocco expels Swedish diplomat
Morocco expels a Swedish diplomat for allegedly passing documents to separatist groups in Western Sahara.

SA 'to miss land reform deadline'
South Africa will miss a 2014 deadline to redistribute a third of its farmland to the black majority, the government says.

UK expats learn Nigerian culture
Want to cook Nigerian food? Learn in London

South Sudan awaits oil bonanza
South Sudanese see little benefit from $7bn

'Big guns' herald Guinea's crisis
Capital under the gun as junta appears anxious

SA's parentless familes
South African 10 year old left to raise her siblings

South Africa cancels Airbus deal
South Africa cancels a multi-billion dollar contract for eight military aircraft with Airbus, citing escalating costs.

Libyans 'unlikely' to compensate
A lawyer who has advised Libya in the past says it is unlikely victims of the IRA in NI will be compensated.

Are diamonds still forever?
Diamond reserves around the world are falling in value. Does this affect your country?

Does Africa devalue women farmers?
Women farmers produce up to 80% of food in developing nations. But is this key role acknowledged in Africa?

What is good hair?
African hair has been worn in a variety of ways over the years. But are these hairstyle choices or something deeper?

Send us your pictures of Africa
Send in your shots of Africa from shadows to hats

BBC News | Africa | World Edition
Get the latest BBC News from Africa: breaking news, features, analysis and special reports plus audio and video from across the African continent.

 

AFRICA: We Are the Government
LAGO DISTRICT, Mozambique, Nov 6 (IPS) - As if they were going to the races, Emma Musako and Monica Mhango showed up in their finest outfits to attend a meeting on the health, social and environmental impacts of uranium mining. They came because they, like the other attendees, no longer want to remain uninformed citizens.

ZIMBABWE: Numerous Challenges For Harare Water Supply
HARARE, Nov 6 (IPS) - Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda is a troubled man. When he took office in July 2008, one of his most immediate tasks was to resolve the water crisis in the capital.

DEVELOPMENT: "Africans Should Become Their Own Philanthropists"
CAPE TOWN, Nov 6 (IPS) - Africans "should dare to imagine an African world not defined by the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund but one that comes out of Africa". This is necessary for Africans to grow out of dependence and become the agents of their own development.

AFRICA: 'Pick Up Your Money With Your Groceries'
ROME, Nov 6 (IPS) - Of the many proposals on how to combat poverty in Africa, the United Nations' International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is championing what must be one of the simplest - make it cheaper and easier for migrants to send money home.

HEALTH: Uganda’s Counterfeits Bill Threatens Access to Medicine
KAMPALA, Nov 6 (IPS) - Uganda is considering an anti-counterfeit bill which analysts say will impair the country’s ability to import and export cheap but effective generic medicines. Activists fear that the bill, once enacted, will deny Ugandans access to safe, effective, quality and affordable generic medication which currently forms the bulk of Uganda’s medicine imports.

LESOTHO: AIDS Orphans get Helping Hand
MASERU, Nov 5 (IPS) - Fifteen-year-old Ntsebeng Tlokotsi* sighs with relief as she is given 140 dollars. Along with it she receives a bag of maize meal and cooking oil. It is a government handout, and she qualifies for this only because both her parents are dead.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Carbon Trading Welcomed, Criticised
NIASSA PROVINCE, Mozambique, Nov 5 (IPS) - A visit from Dutch contractors to Niassa Province, in northwestern Mozambique has got communities excited about the prospect of a carbon credit scheme in the area.

AFRICA: Drug Subsidy Key to Anti-Malaria Effort
NAIROBI, Nov 5 (IPS) - Just three percent of malaria-infected children in Africa get World Health Organisation-recommended drugs. One expert has equated this to a death sentence for sick children.

ECONOMY: Ghana Boosts Apprenticeships for Jobless Young Women
ACCRA, Nov 5 (IPS) - The small shack beside Marjorie Patterson's house encloses evidence of a hard day's work. Bags overflow with the bold prints of traditional African fabrics.

AFRICA: Malaria Vaccine Draws Closer
NAIROBI, Nov 4 (IPS) - After 20 years of trials, scientists have announced they are on the threshold of discovering a malaria vaccine. Researchers warn that Africa may not be ready to make use of the vaccine should it be approved as expected within five years.

RIGHTS-CAMEROON: The Reverend Raped Me


YAOUNDE, Nov 4 (IPS) - A countrywide survey of the incidence of rape in Cameroon has returned disturbing statistics: 20 percent of the nearly 38,000 women surveyed reported having been raped; another 14 percent said they had escaped a rape attempt.

RIGHTS-MALAWI: Blame Game While Children Suffer
LIMBE, Malawi, Nov 4 (IPS) - Every morning 12-year-old Thomson Genti and his seven-year-old brother, Chifundo, emerge dirty and wretched from the squalor of their hideout behind the crowded shops in the commercial town of Limbe. It is the start of a day of begging, beatings from the older street boys and insults from passers-by.

SIERRA LEONE: New Dawn for Small Farmers?
KAMBIA DISTRICT, Sierra Leone, Nov 4 (IPS) - They call her "Marie Nerica", after a new breed of rice.

AGRICULTURE-SENEGAL: Groundnut Production in Freefall
KAOLACK, Senegal, Nov 3 (IPS) - Farmers are complaining about a lack of technical assistance and the poor quality of seeds they've planted this year in the Kaolack region, Senegal's groundnut-producing area, 200 kilometres south of the capital Dakar.

RIGHTS-UGANDA: Baganda Fight for Their Heritage
KAMPALA, Nov 3 (IPS) - Specioza Nakabugo (63) sits on a mat under a mango tree on a well-mowed grass patch, her expression a blend of boredom and gloom.

IPS Inter Press Service - Africa
IPS Africa provides news features and analyses on the events and processes affecting political, economic and social development of people and nations in Africa. In directing this coverage, emphasis is put on not only hearing the voices of those in positions of power and formal authority, but more on providing access for actors in civil society and the majority of the people whose voices have often been silent in the media.

 

Pressure grows on Abbas to stay on
Mahmoud Abbas has been urged to revoke his decision not to run in the upcoming Palestinian presidential election, amid concern that his withdrawal could deal a fatal blow to diminishing prospects for peace

Saudis confirm raids against Yemen 'infiltrators'
Riyadh has confirmed that it carried out air raids against Yemeni rebels, but said the operations took place within Saudi territory

Iraq oil deal puts pressure on Opec
ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell, the two biggest western oil companies, won the right to develop Iraq's giant West Qurna oilfield, raising the prospect of a big jump in Iraqi oil supplies

Abbas will not seek re-election
Palestinian Authority president tells senior Palestinian officials he will not seek re-election in January, in a sign of the mounting frustration felt by the veteran leader over the lack of progress in the peace process

Saudi air force hits Yemen rebels
Riyadh has launched air strikes against rebels in northern Yemen in retaliation for an attack on security forces, an adviser to the Saudi government said

Israel seizes arms 'bound for Hizbollah'
The Jewish state said a captured container ship originating in Iran and loaded with weapons, including rockets, was destined for Syria and Lebanon's Shia group

Tehran reluctant to cede state control
Following a recent blow to its hopes, Iran's private sector believes than despite slogans to the contrary, the government has no intention of encouraging any real privatisation

Investment banks breathe again
Clear winners and losers are emerging as business begins to return for financial houses in the Middle East after a year of property crashes and financial upheaval

Saudi Arabia set to reform commercial courts
The kingdom has been slow to modernise its legal system but changes promised for next year should bring more certainty to the course of business in the kingdom

Iranian opposition and police in fresh clashes
Thousands of opposition supporters clashed with security forces at a state-organised rally on the anniversary of the US embassy siege

Moody's downgrades Dubai companies
The credit rating agency has downgraded five Dubai government-related issuers, citing the tighter conditions under which financial support is likely to be extended

Israel says Hamas rockets can reach Tel Aviv
Senior officials say Palestinian militants based in Gaza have recently test-fired a rocket with a 60-km range, putting Israeli population centres at risk

Khamenei rejects engagement with US
Iran's supreme leader accused the US of negotiating in bad faith despite the overtures made by Barack Obama's administration in recent months

Signs of revival for Dubai property
Dubai property prices have risen for the first time since the market crashed last year, increasing 7 per cent in the third quarter

Saad chief in fight to have US case dismissed
Maan al Sanea says his rancorous battle with fellow conglomerate Ahab, which has accused him of fraud, has 'no business' being heard in New York and should be fought in Saudi Arabia instead

FT.com - World, Middle East
FT.com - World, Middle East

 

Israel Accuses Iran of War Crimes Over Arms-Laden Ship
Hezbollah denies having any connection to weapons on vessel intercepted by Israeli commandos near Cyprus

Abbas Threatens to Quit Over Stalled Peace Process
Mr. Abbas accuses US of backtracking on demands that Israel freeze settlement expansion

Saudi Arabia Resumes Livestock Trade with Somalia
Saudi Arabia removes an 11-year ban on livestock imports from Somalia after fears of Rift Valley Fever were allayed

Clinton Holds Emotional Meeting with Families of Hikers Held in Iran
Hikers were arrested for illegally entering Iran, being held at notorious Evin prison in Tehran

UN Endorses Israel-Palestinian War Crimes Report
During three-week-long Israeli military incursion into Gaza Strip, at least 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed

Syrian Novelist Talks About Impediments to Greater Democracy in the Arab World
Syrian novelist and democracy activist Ammar Abdulhamid talks about impediments to and incentives for greater democracy in the Arab world

Israel Rejects UN War Crimes Resolution
Israel calls accusation of war crimes during the Gaza conflict, in which 13 Israelis and nearly 1,400 Palestinians killed, 'completely detached from reality'   

Iran Lawmakers Say Tehran Will Reject UN-Backed Nuclear Deal
ISNA news agency quotes prominent conservative lawmaker as saying Iran will not send abroad any of its 1,200 kilograms of enriched uranium

Lebanon Opposition Agrees to Unity Government
New Cabinet could be formed within next two days

Iraqi Lawmakers Face Deadline on Election Law
Lawmakers cannot agree on voting guidelines for Kirkuk, an ethnically-mixed region home to Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen communities

VOA News: Middle East
Up to the minute news from Voice of America

 

Saudis and Yemenis versus jihadists: A bloody border

Trouble on the frontier between Saudi Arabia and Yemen is getting out of hand

TWO separate incidents underline the growing shakiness of Yemen’s government and the increasing fear of Saudi rulers that their own fairly successful campaign to quash Islamist terrorism may be undermined by neighbouring Yemen’s feared descent into chaos. On November 3rd suspected al-Qaeda fighters ambushed a Yemeni government convoy in the remote Hadramawt region, near the border with Saudi Arabia, killing three senior security men. A day later Yemeni rebels at the other end of the country crossed the frontier into Saudi Arabia, killed a Saudi officer and claimed to have captured a strategic mountaintop inside the kingdom. The very next day, Saudi aircraft were reported to have bombed rebel positions in Yemen.

In the first attack the Yemeni officers were targeted in what may be an emerging strategy by al-Qaeda’s resilient local branch to hit local security forces rather than symbols of “crusader” influence, such as Western embassies. The attack on Saudi Arabia, by contrast, was a spillover from the civil war in northern Yemen between government forces and rebel tribesmen loyal to a powerful local clan, the Houthis. The government accuses Shia Iran of backing the Houthis, most of whose supporters are Zaydis, a Yemeni branch of the Shia faith, whereas the rebels say Sunni Saudi Arabia is backing the government’s ferocious counter-insurgency. ...

Protests in Iran: Green November

The opposition takes to the streets again

THIRTY years ago, the world was mesmerised by pictures of 52 blindfolded Americans being taken hostage in their embassy in Tehran by Iranian students. This week’s anniversary provided more gripping scenes, as Iranians used the official celebration of that event to take to the streets once again, this time to protest against their own government and their country’s controversial president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose re-election in June they still hotly dispute.

The green movement, as the opposition calls itself, had held no big rally since Jerusalem Day in mid-September, when protesters turned an officially sponsored event into an anti-government one. On November 4th they did it again. Thousands came on to the streets, despite dark warnings from the authorities. There were big demonstrations in Tehran, and reports of others in provincial cities such as Arak, Isfahan, Mazandaran, Rasht, Shiraz and Tabriz. The internet hummed with tales of opposition protests, replete with videos and photographs. It was hard, however, to assess the size of the crowds. ...

The flagging peace process: Is Israel too strong for Barack Obama?

As America drops its demand for a total freeze on the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, angry Palestinians say there is no scope for resuming talks

FIVE months after Barack Obama went to Cairo and persuaded most of the Arab world, in a ringing declaration of even-handedness, that he would face down Israel in his quest for a Palestinian state, American policy seems to have run into the sand. The American president’s mediating hand is weaker, his charisma damagingly faded. From the Palestinian and Arab point of view, his administration—after grandly setting out to force the Jewish state to stop the building of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land as an early token of good faith, intended to bring Israelis and Palestinians back to negotiation—has meekly capitulated to Israel.

The upshot is that hopes for an early resumption of talks between the main protagonists seem to have been dashed. Indeed, no one seems to know how they can be restarted. The mood among moderates on both sides is as glum as ever. ...

Guinea's strife: Don't let it be contagious

The neighbours of a shaky west African state fear that its instability could spread

WHEN Moussa Dadis Camara, a 45-year-old captain, seized power at the end of last year, many Guineans and foreigners were by no means unhappy. He seemed sure to be better than his corrupt and dictatorial predecessor, President Lansana Conte, who had just died after 25 years in charge. But hope evaporated at the end of September, when security forces smashed up an opposition rally in a stadium in Conakry, the capital. Soldiers and police killed at least 150 demonstrators and raped scores of women, says Human Rights Watch, a lobby based in New York.

A worldwide storm of outrage ensued. The African Union has frozen the assets held abroad by junta members. The European Union has imposed an arms embargo and has also, along with the United States, stopped giving visas to Guineans close to the regime. France, the former colonial ruler, has cut military ties. Its foreign minister has called for “international intervention”, so far unspecified. ...

Iraq's coming election: The region's liveliest system

Amid the bickering and chicanery, people are engaging in democracy

SOMETIMES it seems as if Iraqi politicians cannot agree on anything. Parliament has taken months debating a bill to pave the way to elections on January 16th, though at least 296 parties have declared their intention to compete at the polls. Yet outside the chamber many members say they want the same things. The era of sectarian division, they all insist, is over. Shias and Sunnis embrace at press conferences as they present electoral alliances. In the name of reconciliation, politicians disavow the militias that once killed on their behalf. Banners proclaim the goal of “national unity”. Is there any sign that such fine dreams might ever come true?

For all the backbiting, progress is plain. After months of negotiations, six main electoral blocks have emerged to meet a looming deadline for registering alliances. The three that look most genuinely post-sectarian may well be the strongest. The rest sport fig-leaves of diversity but are tainted with past sectarian violence. ...

Baghdad's Green Zone goes dry: Stop that naughty Western habit

Life for Westerners in Iraq’s capital becomes less bearable

RESIDENTS of Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, where nearly all Western civilians in the capital still live in around 100 compounds, along with several thousand soldiers, have long enjoyed a relatively privileged life. Unlike just about everyone else in Iraq, they have electricity that keeps them permanently cool, lights their rooms, plays their music, and runs their fridges around the clock. Their water is clean; loos flush. Above all, suicide-bombers and other insurgents are generally kept out by a maze of high concrete walls and stringently checked entry points, though the occasional lethal bomb has gone off and in bad times rockets and mortars have rained down. Compared with the rest of Baghdad, fatalities have been rare.

Now, however, the residents of the Green Zone are taking a big hit. Many of its diplomats, security people, lobbyists and aid workers have been used to whiling away their evenings at cocktail parties or in bars. But the Iraqi government is banning the transport and sale of alcohol inside the zone even though alcohol will remain legal in other parts of the country. Liquor stores must close after selling off their stock. Restaurants have been told to go dry. ...

Riots in Jerusalem: Just like old times?

Not quite. But the riots afflicting Jerusalem are worrying, all the same

BLACK smoke again rose over the al-Aqsa mosque on October 25th, as Palestinian rioters and Israeli security forces clashed after two weeks of quiet. Just as they had earlier in the month, Palestinian youths set tyres and piles of rubbish on fire in the Old City and threw stones at Israeli policemen storming the holy compound. Three Israeli policemen and about 30 Palestinians were injured.

The clashes were sparked by rumours that extremist Jewish groups planned to harm al-Aqsa, which sits atop a compound that Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims Haram al-Sharif. In biblical times two Jewish temples stood here. Since then the rabbis have ruled that the precinct is too holy for Jews to enter, let alone pray in. The ban on Jewish worship was enforced by the Israeli government after the country took East Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967. In recent years, however, some nationalist rabbis have urged a reversal of the religious proscription and led Jewish worshippers onto the Mount. On the fanatical fringes, some believe that the mosque must be destroyed in order for the “third temple” to be built. Imams urged Muslim worshippers to defend a site that is as holy to Islam as it is to Judaism. ...

Turkey and the Middle East: Looking east and south

Frustrated by European equivocation, Turkey is reversing years of antagonism with its Arab neighbours

IT IS a thousand years since the Turks arrived in the Middle East, migrating from Central Asia to Anatolia. For half of that millennium they ruled much of the region. But when the Ottoman Empire fizzled out and the Turkish Republic was born in 1923, they all but sealed themselves off from their former dominions, turning instead to Europe and tightly embracing America in its cold war with the Soviet Union.

The Turks are now back in the Middle East, in the benign guise of traders and diplomats. The move is natural, considering proximity, the strength of the Turkish economy, the revival of Islamic feeling in Turkey after decades of enforced secularism, and frustration with the sluggishness of talks to join the European Union. Indeed, Turkey’s Middle East offensive has taken on something of the scale and momentum of an invasion, albeit a peaceful one. ...

Tunisia's durable president: One-man show

Another meaningless election

THERE were no surprises at the polls on October 25th. President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was re-elected for a fifth five-year term with 90% of the vote. Not bad—although surely something of a let-down after previous results in 1989, 1994 and 1999 when he got 99%. The slump began in 2004, when the president got a mere 95%.

Despite the opposition gaining a further five percentage points, the election results can hardly be described as a step towards democracy. Since he took power in 1987, Mr Ben Ali and his Constitutional and Democratic Union party have kept a firm grip. Though the constitution originally limited the presidency to two terms, Mr Ben Ali has twice amended it to let himself stay on. Opposition is rigorously controlled; the only candidates allowed to run against Mr Ben Ali were the leaders of parties authorised by the Constitutional Council, an institution close to the ruling party. Ahmed Brahim, the only candidate critical of the regime, won just 1.6% of the vote. ...

Protecting displaced Africans: Selective rescue

A new treaty promises much, but will not help those who need help most urgently

AFRICA contains half of the world’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)—those who have fled their homes but continue to live in their own countries. Sudan alone has over 4m of them, about the same number as the whole of Asia. Congo has another 2m or so, Somalia at least 1.3m. A score of other countries including Uganda, Zimbabwe and Kenya have hundreds of thousands more. In sum, there are about 12m IDPs across the continent.

On top of that, Africa has 3m refugees, who, by crossing an international border, have rights and can expect assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). IDPs, however, are not so fortunate. No binding agreements protect them. UNHCR will help out, but generally they have to rely on the generosity of foreign-aid organisations and, occasionally, the goodwill of their own governments. Sometimes though, as in the Darfur region of Sudan, those very same governments have driven the IDPs from their homes in the first place. ...

Bombs and politics in Iraq: No end in sight

Another “spectacular” raises doubts about American troop withdrawals

TWO car bombs that exploded on October 25th in the centre of Baghdad claimed the lives of at least 155 people and injured more than 700. The main targets were the Ministry of Justice and the office of the governor of Baghdad province. Almost simultaneously the explosions blew windows and their frames several hundred metres along Haifa Street, near the fortified Green Zone. Burst water mains flooded parts of the area, washing over charred bodies and through burned cars. This was the second such attack in two months and the bloodiest in two years. On August 19th bombs destroyed several government buildings, including the ministries of finance and foreign affairs, killing about 100 people.

Since then, a new sense of crisis has enveloped the Iraqi capital. The overall number of attacks has decreased in the past year, but spectacular assaults are on the rise. This is affecting politics. Elections are due in January and security is now a big issue. Within hours of the bombings, some politicians were pointing fingers. “Voters know these are manipulations by the Saddamists,” says Ammar al-Hakim, the new leader of the largest Shia party. Many other Iraqis blame the same Sunni insurgents, including al-Qaeda and members of Saddam Hussein’s former regime. On October 27th a group calling itself Islamic State in Iraq, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda in Iraq, claimed responsibility for the bombings, saying it had attacked “dens of infidelity” in the capital. ...

Nigeria's hopeful amnesty: A chance to end the Delta rebellion

An amnesty for thousands of militants in the Niger Delta is raising hopes that reconciliation in the region may benefit the whole country

IN HIS former life as leader of the self-styled Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, he was known as General Adenkunle. Now the gangly ex-guerrilla prefers to be called plain Prince Wisdom Amackree. His civilian name denotes his new status as one of thousands of militants who have accepted a Nigerian government amnesty and surrendered in exchange for a pardon, some cash and the prospect of a better life. The amnesty officially expired on October 4th. A fortnight later Mr Amackree and a hundred or so of his former foot-soldiers turned up at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre at Aluu, on the outskirts of Port Harcourt, the Delta’s biggest city, to start the next phase: classes on how to reintegrate into society.

If this works, it will be a big turning-point for the oil-producing Delta region and for Nigeria as a whole. For six years dozens of heavily armed, well-organised groups have terrorised the creeks and jungle of the Delta, sabotaging oil production and kidnapping foreign oil workers. The fighters said they were acting on behalf of communities whose lands had been horribly polluted by oil spills, flaring and so on. The locals, they complained, were still among Africa’s sickest and poorest, reaping no benefit from the oil bonanza. These idealistic fighters were joined by petty criminals and gangsters who just wanted to make money out of kidnapping. ...

Turkey's tantalising television: Happy Arabs, outraged Israelis

Turkey is selling its televisual wares all over the region

BAD vibrations between Turkey and Israel have been worsened by a series on one of Turkey’s state-run television channels showing Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinian babies in a place that looks like Gaza. Yet anti-Jewish propaganda has long been a staple of a popular series called “Valley of the Wolves”. In a recent episode two Turkish scientists on the verge of building weapons that Turkey usually buys from Israel get bumped off by Kurds on Israel’s payroll.

But it is unfettered romance rather than Jew-bashing that is catching the imagination of millions of Arab viewers. Particularly alluring is a soap opera called “Noor” that has been dubbed in Arabic and was broadcast last year by a pan-Arab, Saudi-owned satellite network, MBC. Starring an emancipated woman and a blue-eyed blonde former male model, “Noor” has been credited with a recent surge in Arab tourists to Turkey. Many head straight for a Bosporus villa (now rented by tour operators) where the drama was filmed. ...

Nuclear talks with Iran: Deal or no deal?

And still no end to Iran’s nuclear story

IRAN doesn’t usually do deadlines. It has been evading them in the seven years since an opposition group first outed its extensive covert nuclear programme, despite five UN Security Council resolutions that have told it to halt its suspect nuclear work. Yet after talks that ended in Vienna on October 21st, Iran and the three countries trying to strike a side-deal over new fuel for a Tehran-based nuclear reactor were told by Mohamed ElBaradei, outgoing chief of the UN’s nuclear guardian, that they had just two days to take his draft agreement or leave it.

As The Economist went to press it was unclear whether Iran would accept or haggle over the deal, which would keep in operation a research reactor that makes medical isotopes. Meanwhile, after a three- week delay at Iran’s insistence, UN nuclear inspectors were due to visit a uranium-enrichment plant which until recently had been concealed. It is built deep in a mountainside on a military compound near the city of Qom. ...

Botswana's impatient president: Diamonds are not for ever

Ian Khama, newly re-elected as president, wants to shake things up

THE inauguration of the leader of the world’s biggest diamond-producer after a landslide election victory was by no means a glittering affair. There was a bit of bunting in blue, white and black, Botswana’s national colours; a mounted guard in plumed pith-helmets, incongruous relics of the country’s British colonial past; no visiting foreign dignitaries, no banquet, no alcohol; some scantily clad youngsters, who sang and danced; and a couple of short speeches, all over in barely an hour.

Plainly, with Botswana sunk into its first recession since independence in 1966, President Ian Khama wanted nothing fancy. In any case, the smartly dressed 56-year-old bachelor and former army commander is a teetotaller who has never been fond of socialising. Indeed, he decided, after taking over the presidency last year from the retiring Festus Mogae, to slap a 30% tax on alcohol and severely curtailed opening hours for bars. This helped earn him a reputation for being a disciplinarian with an authoritarian streak, perhaps even a low regard for civil liberties. ...

Iraq's fragile security: Jangling nerves

As the Americans prepare to go and an election looms, anxiety is rising again

THE outlook remains far rosier than two years ago. Violence has dropped to the level of a few months after the American invasion in 2003. Voters are likely to turn out in large numbers for a general election scheduled for January 16th. So far, the main electoral alliances are being drawn from across the sectarian spectrum. It has yet to be determined whether Iraq will be Islamist, federal or centralised in character and constitution. But most politicians seem sincere in insisting that this will be decided by parliament and not by force. The insurgents are too weak to overthrow the newly emerging order. They control no swathes of Iraq, as they once did. There are some dangerous areas, but the Iraqi forces can go more or less where they please.

Even so, the continuing presence of 120,000 American soldiers still underpins security, though they stopped patrolling the streets in July. But Barack Obama this week reassured Iraq’s prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, who was visiting Washington, that all American combat troops would be out by the end of next August and that all troops would have left by the end of 2011. ...

Somalia's embattled Christians: Almost expunged

Even Somalia’s supposedly moderate government is loth to protect them

WHERE is the hardest place in the world to be a Christian citizen? North Korea, perhaps? Saudi Arabia? Try Somalia. There are thought to be no more than a thousand Christians in a resident population of 8m people, with perhaps a few thousand more in the diaspora. The Islamist Shabab militia, which controls most of southern Somalia, is dedicated to hunting them down.

Christian men attend mosques on Fridays, so as not to arouse suspicion. Bibles are kept hidden. There are no public meetings, let alone a church. Catholic churches and cemeteries have been destroyed. The last nuns in the smashed capital, Mogadishu, were chased out in 2007. The year before, an elderly nun working in a hospital there was murdered. The only Christian believers left are local Somalis. ...

Palestinian farmers: Not much of an olive branch

The plight of rural Palestinians on the West Bank is as grim as ever

“WHAT did the trees do?” says Muhammad Abu Awad, a retired teacher of agriculture and father of 14 children, as he looks gloomily at his ravaged field. Twisted, silvery stubs are all that remain of a lush grove that once offered up a yearly abundance of fat green olives.

The vandals came at night from Adei Ad, a Jewish settlers’ outpost deemed “illegal” even by the Israeli government, near Shvut Rachel, an established West Bank settlement that is judged illegal in international but not Israeli law. Working fast, unnoticed by Palestinian landowners in the nearby Arab village of al-Mughayir, the settlers cut down nearly 200 olive trees, of which 70 belonged to Mr Abu Awad. As a result, he reckons to have lost income worth around $3,400 that he would have earned from this year’s harvest. But that is not all. “I planted these trees with my own hands 35 years ago”, he says, wistfully touching the stumps, now wrapped in sackcloth to protect them from the sun. Mr Abu Awad hopes his trees will recover and one day bear fruit again. ...

Education in the Arab world: Laggards trying to catch up

One reason that too many Arabs are poor is rotten education

A RECENT issue of Science, the weekly journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, was devoted to research into “Ardi” or Ardipithecus ramidus, a 4.4m-year-old hominid species whose discovery deepens the understanding of human evolution. These latest studies suggest, among other things, that rather than descending from a closely related species such as the chimpanzee, the hominid branch parted earlier than previously thought from the common ancestral tree.

In much of the Arab world, coverage of the research took a different spin. “American Scientists Debunk Darwin”, exclaimed the headline in al-Masry al-Youm, Egypt’s leading independent daily. “Ardi Refutes Darwin’s Theory”, chimed the website of al-Jazeera, the region’s most-watched television channel. Scores of comments from readers celebrated this news as a blow to Western materialism and a triumph for Islam. Two or three lonely readers wrote in to complain that the report had inaccurately presented the findings of the research. ...

The Economist: Middle East and Africa
Middle East and Africa