Lesotho: Prime Minister Attacked

Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili was the victim of an assassination attempt on Wednesday, according to the chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC),… Read more »

Madagascar: Ravalomanana Refuses to Share Power

The deposed president of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, has visited two Southern African capitals in his bid to be restored to power. Read more »

Africa: Continent's 'First Ladies' Meet to Promote Health, Education

Fifteen spouses of African heads of state and government, from countries ranging from Swaziland to Kenya and Sierra Leone, have joined in a unique summit in Los Angeles,… Read more »

South Africa: Food Used as Election Weapon, Say Monitors

South African civil society election monitors are expecting largely violence-free polls in the country’s national elections, but say party activists have been using access to… Read more »

South Africa: Ruling ANC Will Respect Judiciary, Says Zuma

South Africa’s president-in-waiting, Jacob Zuma, has given voters an election pledge that his administration will respect the independence of the judiciary and the separation… Read more »

Africa: Diplomatic Advocates for the Continent

Among the many advocates for Africa's well-being and development are the African-Americans who have served as America's ambassadors to African nations. Having just come from the… Read more »

Somalia: Pirates Stage Daring New Attacks

Somali pirates hijacked a Belgian-owned ship off Somalia on Saturday but a Dutch naval frigate foiled an attack on a Greek-owned chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden. Read more »

Somalia: Pirates are Well-Organized, Resilient

Somali piracy is "a highly structured enterprise" built around well-organized syndicates which regularly extort U.S. $1-million ransoms for shipowners to release ships and their… Read more »

Africa: Soyinka Attacks Political Leaders

Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka has launched a new attack on Africa's political leaders, this time singling out heads of state who retain their grip on power by entering into… Read more »

Somalia: Pirates Seize More Ships

Pirates have captured four more ships and taken more than 60 crew members hostage in the Gulf of Aden in the last two days, following the death of three pirates in a standoff with… Read more »

Somalia: U.S. Congressman Sees Signs of Hope Despite Mortar Attack

Donald Payne, a veteran Democratic Congressman from New Jersey, has landed safely in Nairobi after his plane drew mortar fire while departing Mogadishu, Somalia. Read more »

Somalia: U.S. Mariner Freed as Pirates Move to Seychelles

An American merchant ship captain was freed from Somali pirates by U.S. Navy forces Sunday, as a new warning was issued about pirate activity in East African sea lanes near the… Read more »

Somalia: Pirates in New Hijacking In Gulf of Aden

American merchant ship captains have called for harsh action against Somali pirates, even as an American-owned tug was seized Saturday in the Gulf of Aden. Read more »

Somalia: U.S. Pirate Hostage Drama Continues, Air Patrols Begin

As a hostage drama involving an American merchant ship's captain and a group of pirates continued into Friday, the European Union's anti-piracy force began regular air patrols off… Read more »

Somalia: Pirates Try to Hijack North Korean Ship

Pirates have made another attempt to hijack a ship, this time north of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden, the Nato Shipping Centre reports. Read more »

Africa: U.S.-Africa Relations Hampered by Colonial Legacy

The following is the text of a lecture delivered at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) by Haskell Ward, one of the UCLA African Studies Center's first master's… Read more »

South Africa: Zuma Questions Constitution

Two weeks before national elections in which the ruling African National Congress is being challenged for the first time by an opposition party formed from within its ranks, the… Read more »

Algeria: President Expected to Return to Power in Polls

Algerians headed for the polls today to choose between six contenders vying for the highest office in the land. Read more »

Somalia: U.S. Navy Intervenes Against Pirates

A United States Navy missile destroyer has arrived to help end an ongoing standoff between four Somali pirates and their American hostage off the east coast of Somalia. Read more »

Somalia: U.S. Ship Hijacked, Captain Taken Hostage

The crew of an American-operated ship hijacked by suspected Somali pirates early Wednesday has regained control of the vessel, but the pirates have taken the captain hostage, news… Read more »

Somalia: Pirates Seize U.S. Ship, Crew

BREAKING NEWS: Pentagon sources are telling CNN and news agencies that crewmembers have regained control of the ship and that one pirate is in custody. Read more »

Somalia: U.S. Crew Seized by Pirates in Hijacking

Somali pirates off the coast of East Africa have hijacked a ship with 21 American crew on board. Read more »

Kenya: Justice Minister Resigns

Kenyan Justice Minister Martha Karua resigned Monday, citing frustration with the pace of government reforms. Read more »

Somalia: Pirates Seize More Ships

In a new upsurge in piracy off the Somali coast, two more ships have been hijacked in the past two days. Read more »

South Africa: Zuma Dodges Prosecution After Party Infighting

Infighting within the ranks of South Africa's ruling African National Congress has led to prosecutors dropping charges of corruption, fraud, money-laundering and tax evasion… Read more »