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Alleged Coup Attempt in Sudan?
The country's former spy chief along with dozens of high ranking army and security officials, including several civilians, have been arrested for allegedly trying to sabotage the nation. allAfrica
Sudan's NCP power struggle comes to surface, Bashir's aides suspected of involvement in coup attempt
Sudanese authorities moved in the early hours of Thursday to foil what it claimed was a "subversive plot" planned by elements from the army, the paramilitary Popular Defense Forces (PDF), National Security and Intelligence Services (NISS) and the National Congress Party (NCP). Sudan Tribune
In New Tack, Congo's Army Starts to Fight
The Congolese Army tried a new tactic on Thursday: fighting back. In the past week, the rebel force has marched into a string of towns in eastern Congo, culminating in the capture of Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, and raised serious questions about the future of this vast and often troubled country. In most of the battles, demoralized government troops abandoned their positions and literally ran for the hills. The New York Times
DR Congo army chief Gabriel Amisi suspended
The head of the army in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been suspended pending an investigation into claims that he sold weapons to rebel groups. A UN report accused Gen Gabriel Amisi of running a network supplying arms to poachers and rebel groups including the notorious Mai Mai Raia Mutomboki. A government spokesman said other officers were also being investigated. BBC
Goma's fall: Could UN troops in Congo have done more to prevent it?
Rebels who overran one of Democratic Republic of Congo's largest cities marched to take control of outlying areas Wednesday, leaving in their wake questions over the apparent ineffectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping in the country. CS Monitor
10 presidents to meet in Kampala over DR Congo
At least 10 presidents from the Great Lakes region are expected to converge for an emergency meeting in Kampala this Saturday to discuss the ongoing hostilities in eastern DR Congo. The fall of Goma, North Kivu's commercial capital, to M23 rebels is said to have precipitated the weekend summit of the International Conference for Great Lakes region (ICGLR). The East African
Congo rebels: the key questions answered
Goma has fallen to rebels. Who are they, and what does it mean for peace prospects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? The Guardian
Understanding Museveni's Foreign Policy Chess Game
In the latest high-level diplomatic move surrounding the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Presidents Joseph Kabila of the DRC, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda yesterday jointly demanded that the M23 rebels pull out of the recently-captured town of Goma and end their offensive. Think Africa Press
Susan Rice Says Benghazi Claims Were Based On Information From Intelligence
"When discussing the attacks against our facilities in Benghazi, I relied solely and squarely on the information provided to me by the intelligence community. I made clear that the information was preliminary and that our investigations would give us the definitive answers. Everyone, particularly the intelligence community, has worked in good faith to provide the best assessment based on the information available. You know the FBI and the State Department's Accountability Review Board are conducting investigations as we speak, and they will look into all aspects of this heinous terrorist attack to provide what will become the definitive accounting of what occurred." NPR
Egypt's Morsi Grants Himself Sweeping Powers
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has caused controversy by putting himself above oversight and protecting Islamist lawmakers who support him. President Morsi Thursday declared that his decisions cannot be appealed by the courts or any other authority, citing a need to "protect the revolution." The decree announced by his spokesman also bars Egypt's judiciary from dissolving the upper house of parliament and an assembly drafting a new constitution - two bodies dominated by Morsi's Islamist allies. VOA
Mali rebels meet French government
French diplomats are meeting with a secular rebel group vying for control of northern Mali, and pressing the group to reconcile with the West African country's government. The meeting in Paris on Thursday is with the NMLA, or National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad. The NMLA, seeking an independent state for the Tuareg people, has been sidelined by two radical Islamist groups that have the upper hand in northern Mali. AP on Stars and Stripes
Mali under pressure to give separatists autonomy in fight against al-Qaida
West African officials are pushing the Mali government to offer Tuareg separatists in the north of the country autonomy in exchange for joining the fight against hardline al-Qaida-linked terrorists, the Guardian has learned. The regional bloc of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) also hopes to boost their efforts to flush out militants from northern Mali by persuading moderate members of one of the powerful Islamist groups controlling the region to join forces with Tuaregs. The Guardian
US focusing on Africa as it combats al-Qaida threat
Africa is one of the areas the United States is focusing on as it addressed the threat of al-Qaida, according to US Defense Secretary Leon E Panetta, who called for a modified military footprint, close work with partners and continued U.S. involvement in regions of the world where violent extremism has flourished. Addressing an audience at the Center for a New American Security, the secretary discussed significant national security challenges and opportunities ahead. DefenceWeb
ICC issues warrant for Gbagbo's wife
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for the wife of former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo, Simone, accusing her of being his "alter ego" in orchestrating a campaign of election violence almost two years ago in which 3000 people died. Herald Sun
Planes, Barges and Trucks in South Sudan
Traveling to visit refugees, one expects to see and hear certain things. I recently visited a refugee camp in South Sudan, however, and it was the unexpected things I found there that made the deepest impression: the real challenges and steep cost of getting aid to the refugees. The Huffington Post
Kenya: A conversation with John Githongo
JOHN GITHONGO knows first-hand how bad governance can undermine development. He blew the whistle on the widespread corruption in the government of Mwai Kibaki, who appointed him to expose graft. Mr Githongo, who reported for The Economist (among other journals) in the 1990s, was then forced to flee Kenya in 2005 and went into hiding in Britain. He has since returned to the country, where he is head of INUKA Ni Sisi! ("Rise up, it is us!"), an NGO that does work on citizen empowerment and good governance. The Economist
No interest in AFRICOM bases in Africa
WINDHOEK - America has no plans, interest or money to set up military bases in Africa, other than plans to strengthen existing relationships with various countries' military authorities, says the highly decorated commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Carter Ham, who was in the country for talks with the Namibian military. New Era
U.S. top envoy to visit South Africa to promote trade
Unites States Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank will be in South Africa next week to advance initiatives to promote economic growth, trade and investment, the United States Diplomatic Mission to South Africa confirmed Thursday. Mission spokesperson Jack Hillmeyer said Blank will be in Pretoria on next Wednesday. NZ Week
Algeria seeks new border security systems as war clouds gather over Mali
The Algerian defence ministry is looking at issuing an international tender for the procurement, development and operationalisation of a new sophisticated border surveillance system, as the country steps up measures to secure its borders against infiltration by terrorists, bandits, arms dealers and drug smugglers. DefenceWeb
Algerian ex-minister can face Swiss trial for war crimes: court
Former Algerian defence minister Khaled Nezzar on Thursday lost a second bid to have Swiss courts declared unfit to try him for war crimes. Echoing a lower court ruling in July, Switzerland's Federal Supreme Court rejected Nezzar's claim that he could not be tried outside his country for crimes he allegedly committed while serving as defence minister in the 1990s. AFP
African youth: Fulfilling the potential
Africa has two major leadership problems: firstly, its leadership is fragmented. And secondly, its leaders are stagnating. We need a bold new vision that will integrate the continent and engage the new generation in building its future. "We are angry, we are restless. We are sick and tired of mediocrity and corruption. We want to make our future. Can our leaders make way for us? Can we have a meaningful dialogue without being lectured about the liberation struggles of the past?" African Argument
The future of war is looking bleak
[...] Havard Hegre, a professor in the department of Political Science at the University of Oslo, is the latest academic to devise a statistical model capable of reaching into the future and telling us what is likely to happen next. His study, in collaboration with the Peace Research Institute Oslo, claims that in five years' time India, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Uganda and Burma will be at the greatest risk of conflict, while in 40 years, it will be China, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. The Independant
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