Fears that scenes of repression and protest that have consumed parts of North Africa would spread further into the continent following the re-election of President Paul Biya of Cameroon appear to be receding.
Mr Biya has been warmly congratulated by French president Nicolas Sarkozy after being returned to power at the age of 78 – some 30 years after first being elected.
Mr Sarkozy gave assurances to …

Women slavery- forced marriage, female circumcision, fake virginity are still in vogue- will women ever escape from deep-rooted fundamentalist traditions?
A clever young girl’s ambition of becoming a solicitor has been wrecked forever after Halton Magistrates’ Court convicted her parents with her murder.
The parents of the 17-year-old Shafile Ahmed, from Warrington (originally Pakistan), were desperate to force her into a marriage, it was revealed.
Forced marriages are …