IT IS less a chaotic rout than a tactical retreat, but suddenly Islamic State (IS) is losing ground quite fast. At both ends of its self-proclaimed caliphate, the jihadist group is ceding territory. It quietly withdrew from Tal Afar, the largest Iraqi city still under its control, on August 27th.
Monthly Archives: August 2017
As Islamic State withers, the alliance against it is fraying
DOWN the Euphrates river, halfway between Deir ez-Zor and Syria’s border with Iraq, lies Dura Europos, an ancient metropolis where the Parthians of Persia sparred with the Roman Empire for control of the Middle East.
Congo and Angola: a tale of two kleptocracies
Dokolo, a man with a manifesto IN THE nightclubs of Kinshasa, the raucous capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, adverts are everywhere for Congolese beer.
Ethiopia is struggling to make housing affordable
ELEVEN years ago Elsa, a middle-aged widow, won the lottery. The prize was not cash, but the deed to a spacious, three-bedroom flat in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Today she lives there with her four adult children
The grasscutter shows why it is hard to stop bushmeat hunting
The irresistible allure of rat on a platter THE cane rat, a large, blunt-nosed version of its urban cousin, looks docile enough. But it has a taste for fingers
Oman is benefiting from the standoff over Qatar, for now
THE Omani port of Sohar usually slows down during the summer. But this year it is buzzing.
South Africa: Some Residents Turn On Firefighters Battling Cape Town Blaze
[News24Wire] Cape Town firefighters were forced to withdraw briefly from a blaze raging in Rylands after some residents turned on them on Tuesday.
Africa: The Pipe Organ – More Than Just a Church Instrument
[The Conversation Africa] Unlike most musical instruments, the pipe organ is commonly defined by the place where it’s often played: church. And people seem to think of organists as reclusive creatures in the lofts of basilicas and cathedrals.
South Africa: Govt Body Probes High Internet Data Costs
[CAJ News] Johannesburg -THE South Africa’s Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) has welcomed a probe into the contentious mobile data prices in the country.
Kenya: Odinga’s Petition is Hollow – Kenyatta’s Lawyer
[Nation] President Uhuru Kenyatta has dismissed the petition filed by Mr Raila Odinga, arguing that it raises no substantive grounds and it should be thrown out for lack of evidence.