Faced with high food prices, low income and barely a patch of arable land, hundreds of residents of Nairobi’s densely populated slums have adopted a novel form of intensive agriculture: a farm in a sack.

(via IRIN Africa | KENYA: Bag a farm)

Landmine danger persists in Somalia

“Thousands of landmines and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) scattered in parts of Somalia over past decades of conflict are emerging as a threat to the relative security now being enjoyed there, with inadequate demining expertise posing a challenge, say officials.” 

For more, read the full IRIN article here.

Killings, disappearances in Mali’s climate of suspicion

A new report from the U.N.’s news agency, IRIN, begins: “Seyo Sangho’s husband was arrested by Malian army soldiers at the central market in Konna in central Mali… after getting into an argument with another man. ‘I haven’t seen him since,’ she says. ‘That was 10 days ago.’”

For the full article, click here.

U.S. Plans Base for Surveillance Drones in Africa - NYTimes.com

This “new drone base in northwest Africa would join a constellation of small airstrips in recent years on the continent, including in Ethiopia, for surveillance missions flown by drones or turboprop planes designed to look like civilian aircraft,” writes Eric Schmitt in today’s New York Times.  He continues: “If the base is approved, the most likely location for it would be in Niger, a largely desert nation on the eastern border of Mali. The American military’s Africa Command, or Africom, is also discussing options for the base with other countries in the region, including Burkina Faso, officials said.”

Civilians return to battle-scarred Malian town of Diabaly

The United Nations’ news service, IRIN, reports on the return of civilians to the Malian town of Diabaly following its capture by Islamist forces and subsequent air strikes by French forces.

“I no longer recognize Diabaly. Everywhere you look there are burnt-out cars and tanks, destroyed buildings, the stadium has been completely destroyed, frontless shops have been looted,” resident Mariam Sissoko told IRIN.

Several Southern African countries are dealing with the effects of flooding following heavy rains over much of the region in the past week.

(via IRIN Africa | Widespread flooding hits Southern Africa 

BBC News - Algeria crisis: Hostage death toll ‘rises

The BBC reports that “at least 48 hostages are now thought to have died in a four-day siege at an Algerian gas plant, as reports say that 25 bodies found at the complex on Sunday were all those of captives.”

guardian:

Nairobi, Kenya: A demonstrator rolls on the ground in celebration after he and others burned mock coffins outside parliament

Photograph: Ben Curtis/AP

An understated but devastating article by the always insightful Walter Pincus!

As French military air strikes continued for the sixth day, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that at least 30,000 Malians have fled their homes, according to a report by the U.N.’s news agency, IRIN.

(via IRIN Africa | Fear, rumour and relief as air strikes continue in Mali |