Nigeria's Outspoken Writer Chinua Achebe Dies At 82
Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, who played a critical role in establishing post-colonial African literature, has died. The author of Things Fall Apart was 82.
Africa
Police Officers Caught In The Middle Go On Strike In Egypt
There is a growing strike by police officers in Egypt. Long accused of brutality before and after the fall of the Mubarak regime, police commanders say they are ill-equipped to handle the ongoing protests, many of them violent, in Port Said and other cities. They are demanding the ouster of the new Interior Minister, appointed by President Mohammed Morsi. The strike comes amid fears of more violence on Saturday when a court in Cairo is scheduled to hand down a second group of verdicts and sentences in connection with a soccer riot that left 70 dead last year.
Ethnic Violence Haunts Kenya's Presidential Election
In the East African nation of Kenya, voters are choosing the next president. Of greatest concern is whether these polls will provoke the same amount of deadly ethnic violence as the elections five years ago. More than 1,000 people were killed during voting in that election.
Fearing Election Turmoil, Kenyans Seek A Tech Solution
Text messages spreading false rumors helped spark postelection violence in 2007. This time, monitors will keep an eye on social media and will be in touch with government officials in a bid to prevent bloodshed.
Fighting Stream Of Terrorist Capital, Kenya Cracks Down On Somali Businesses
U.S. counterterrorism efforts include choking off the flow of cash to extremists and urging friendly countries to help. But in places like the Nairobi neighborhood of Eastleigh, where Somali refugees have flocked, it's hard to distinguish between tainted money and honest cash.
Pistorius Case Puts South African Courts In Spotlight
Weekend Edition guest host Don Gonyea speaks to David Smith, Africa correspondent for The Guardian, about the latest in the murder case against Olympian Oscar Pistorius. Smith has been live-tweeting updates all week as Pistorius stands accused of shooting his girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine's Day.
Sahara Attack Revives A Fear Of Renewed Terrorism In Algeria
Algerians received a double blow when an oil and gas plant was taken over in the desert last month. Algerians thought those kinds of attacks were a thing of the past, and many were angry when Western countries criticized the way Algeria's security forces responded.
Treating HIV Patients Protects Whole Community
Treating people for HIV isn't just beneficial for those infected but also helps the entire community. Two studies show that where HIV drugs are widely available, the risk for new HIV infections drops dramatically and overall life expectancy increases by more than a decade.
In Bail Hearing, Pistorius Says Girlfriend's Death Was Accidental
Renee Montagne gets an update from New York Times correspondent Lydia Polgreen on the bail hearing for South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius. He is charged with murdering his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
Islamists Failed To Quiet Mali's Music
The African nation of Mali has long claimed it gave birth to the blues. Renee Montagne reports that the country's musical tradition was threatened this past year when Islamist militants took over the deserts of northern Mali and banned music.