I’m happy for the rebels in Libya and those who support them. All of Libyans, really. They’re free from a tyrant who has oppressed them for 30 years. Just a week ago, they seemed to be dead in the water. Even 48 hours ago, it seemed that Gadhafi’s forces would be successful in pushing them back from Tripoli. Yet, now it appears that the rebels may have won.

For those rebels who truly want a free and democratic society, I congratulate them, and wish them well. I think that the nations of the Middle East and Northern Africa are ultimately better under pluralism. I think everyone is ultimately better off with leaders who don’t want to murder the rest of the world for not following their beliefs, and I realize that democracy just gives another chance to let that happen.| MORE ›

As America goes to celebrate its independence tomorrow, another nation is getting ready to do that itself in just a few days. On July 9, the nation of Sudan will split in two: The Republic of Sudan in the north, and the Republic of South Sudan in the…well, south.| MORE ›

President Obama’s speech Ghana was televised across the African continent and in it Mr. Obama delivered the message that Africans have needed to hear for many decades, that after all of the history between the people of the continent and the outside world – western exploitation, remuneration, and billions in foreign aid – it’s up to Africans themselves to bring stability and hope to their own countries.

Peter Baker writes:| MORE ›

The Dutch have – finally - joined the battle against Somali pirates. Earlier today, the Dutch navy announced it captured seven priates and freed 20 of their captives:

The Dutch navy captured seven suspected Somali pirates and freed 20 captives in the strategic Gulf of Aden shipping lane on Saturday, Dutch and NATO authorities said.

“This morning we intercepted a request for assistance from a Greek-owned ship from the | MORE ›

Who said miracles don’t exist? Liberal newspaper NRC Handelsblad published an article today in which it praises the Pope for his take on the AIDS problem in Africa. The headline: “factually, the Pope is right.”

The rest of the article explains that the Pope is right when he says that not the condom but monogamy will help Africa fight AIDS.| MORE ›

Two Dutch MP’s, Martin Bosma and Geert Wilders (both of the PVV party), certainly believe so and warn Westerners that action is required:

Oil-rich Nigeria, population 140-million, now is very close to an all-out”Islamic takeover’, warn two Dutch MPs. And this would have a massive impact: from Nigeria, Africa’s islamisation would spread fast — resulting in hundreds of millions of refugees.| MORE ›

Hillary Clinton has arguably done more to combat sexual violence in Africa in her short time as Secretary of State than the entire U.N. has in the last decade.  Mrs. Clinton had this to say about visiting the Congo and witnessing the aftermath of the brutality of life there:| MORE ›

U.S. Treasure Secretary Timothy Geithner warned that the global economic crisis threatens international efforts to reduce poverty in the world. Banks that provide aid to poor nations must embrace changes in their operations, he said.| MORE ›

‘A French military operation to free a yacht hijacked by Somali pirates backfired today when one of the hostages was killed, highlighting the perils facing US forces trying to free an American seaman being held captive in a parallel pirate standoff,’ the Guardian reports.| MORE ›

It is utterly unbelievable how far governments are willing to go to accomodate the authoritarians in charge of China:| MORE ›