A judge for the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled Feb. 15 that former Somali prime minister and defense minister Mohamed Ali Samantar is not entitled to legal immunity from civil lawsuits. Samantar, who has lived in the greater Washington DC area for more than 15 years, was sued in 2004 by two Somali men who alleged he spearheaded a campaign of ethnic repression against the northern Somali Isaaq clan during his tenure in office.

A rebellion by former pro-Khartoum fighters in South Sudan's Upper Nile state has sparked two days of clashes, leaving at least 20 dead. The fighting around Malakal airport, close to the border with the North, began when loyalists of Gabriel Tang, who commanded a pro-Khartoum force during the 1983-2005 civil war, refused to withdraw to the North. The dead include two children and a Sudanese driver for the UN's refugee agency.

Students clashed with police in Khartoum on Jan. 30 as youths answered calls to take to the streets for a day of anti-government protests—despite a heavy security deployment in the Sudanese capital. Hundreds gathered outside the presidential palace, calling for the resignation of President Omar al-Bashir before they were dispersed by riot police. Slogans included, "We want change! No to the high price of goods! and "Revolution against the dictatorship!"

Riot police in Gabon's capital Libreville fired tear gas to break up a protest by some 5,000 opposition supporters on Jan. 29, with up to 20 people wounded in the clashes, including at least one police officer. It was the second such clash in Libreville since opposition leader Andre Mba Obame declared himself president on Jan. 25 and urged Gabonese to take inspiration from Tunisia's popular uprising that ousted long-ruling Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

In his State of the Union address Jan. 25, Barack Obama said the US will support those struggling for freedom around the world, and made special note of the recent vote for independence in South Sudan:

Recent events have shown us that what sets us apart must not just be our power—it must also be the purpose behind it. In south Sudan—with our assistance—the people were finally able to vote for independence after years of war. (Applause.) Thousands lined up before dawn. People danced in the streets. One man who lost four of his brothers at war summed up the scene around him: "This was a battlefield for most of my life," he said. "Now we want to be free." (Applause.)

The organization International Christian Concern (ICC) is publicizing revelations in a US embassy cable released by WikiLeaks concerning grave human rights violations in Eritrea. According to ICC, there are currently more than 3,000 Christians imprisoned in Eritrea for practicing their faith. ICC says the leaked document confirms years of the organization's reports about the harsh conditions faced by prisoners in Eritrea.

Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is interrogating 12 foreign oil firm executives over bribes worth more than $100 million. Executives from US oil services firms Tidewater, Transocean and Noble Corporation are being held. The panel accuses them and executives of Lagos-based Murphy Shipping of offering bribes to Nigerian officials. Last month, Nigeria dropped charges against Houston-based oil services giant Halliburton and executives—including former US vice president Dick Cheney—after a $35 million settlement. (Bloomberg, Jan. 13)

Three UN peacekeepers in Ivory Coast were injured Jan. 11 when their patrol was ambushed by forces loyal to president Laurent Gbagbo in the main city of Abidjan. The West African country has been divided since the incumbent Gbagbo has refused to cede power to rival Alassane Ouattara following the contested Dec. 28 presidential election. The UN is recognizing Ouattara as the winner. Gbagbo supporters meanwhile told AlJazeera that UN troops fired on them in the violence that followed the elections—a claim the UN denies.