Kenya's Ticking Time Bomb

How political corruption is turning the country's spiralling youth unemployment into a threat to society.     You can witness the same scene at dawn every morning in Kenya's capital, Nairobi: thousands of young people in search of work are streaming out from the city's slums towards its industrial areas. Most of them are neatly if simply dressed, many of them are full of optimism, but the vast majority are destined to be disappointed. Those that can afford it will try and cram onto a bus in an attempt to beat the crowds, the rest will weave their way on foot through the heavy morning commuter traffic. But when they arrive, the situation for all of them will invariably be the same as it was on the previous day and the day before that and on all the other preceding days.

DR Congo soldiers go on trial for mass rape, murder

The trial of 41 soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo began in Goma on Wednesday, with the troops accused of committing mass rape, murder and other war crimes as they fled their positions when M23 rebels took the city in November 2012.

Algeria's World Cup celebrations turn deadly

Celebrations in Algeria after the country qualified for the 2014 World Cup finals has left at least 12 people dead and some 240 injured, authorities said Wednesday, with at least nine of the victims killed in car accidents.

Murder of French journalists a ‘botched AQIM operation’

© Photo: AFP

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has said the kidnapping and killing of two French journalists was in retaliation for the "daily killings" by French troops in Mali. But the claim appears to be a jihadist whitewash for a botched operation.

French forces kill Islamist chief Belmokhtar's No. 2

French forces in Mali have killed the No. 2 in command of the militant group, led by Islamist chief Mokhtar Belmokhtar (pictured), that claimed a January attack on an Algerian gas plant and the bombing of an Areva mine in Niger in May.

Kenya Warns ICC Trials Could Threaten Regional Security

Kenya argued on Thursday that putting its top two leaders on trial before the International Criminal Court could compromise security in the often volatile east African region.

The indictments for crimes against humanity against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto "create particular problems in the context of regional peace and security," Kenya's attorney-general Githu Muigai said.

Muigai was speaking on the second day of an annual meeting of the Hague-based ICC's member states, during a session to discuss whether heads of states should be given immunity from prosecution.

"Kenya is the lynchpin in the peace and security of more than 250 million people from Djibouti to the eastern Congo. Kenya is one of the most important pillars in eastern Africa" in the fight against terror, drug trafficking and piracy, Muigai said.

He stressed: "It is not in our humble view a country... the international community should play Russian roulette with."

The United States, Britain and Israel have long had close military and intelligence ties with Nairobi.

British Diplomats Ejected From Hotel

Tension between Kenya and Britain almost reached boiling point when county Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno accused the trio from the British High Commission not following proper protocol, Standard Digital reports.

Relations between the two countries has been frosty over the past few weeks amid the trials of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto at the International Criminal Court. Britain abstained from voting for Kenya at the Security Council and they proposed a video trial for the duo, who are facing charges of crimes against humanity. Kenya rejected the proposal.

The senior officials from Britain were removed from the Sirikwa Hotel in Eldoret town where they were attending attending with various community groups based in the North Rift area of the country. 

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